


Sharp Edges

by JheneJhene



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Love Triangles, Original Character(s), Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2018-11-08 03:26:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 80,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11073090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JheneJhene/pseuds/JheneJhene
Summary: When her online boyfriend turns out to be a cruel, suicide inciting info broker, Tamina Takeda is forced to gain some serious perspective. Fortunately for her, a gang in a wild new city, a promising nanny job for two eccentric twins, and a street sign wielding super guy come barging into her life just in time. IzayaxOCxShizuo love triangle.





	1. Pinot Noir

**Author's Note:**

> Hello AO3! So excited to finally get registered!  
> So! This story is a sexy IzayaxOCx Shizuo love triangle. I've already posted on Fanfiction.net but I wanted to see how this community liked it. Rating is Mature for now for reoccuring general, angsty and sexual content (while you'll notice right away *ahem*) 
> 
> I'm still trying to learn my way around AO3 so bear with me! If anyone wants to inbox me some tips I'd really appreciate it! Especially anyone who followed me from ff.net! 
> 
> Anyway, onto business.

Three weeks. It had been three whole weeks since Tamina Takeda had moved out of her modest apartment and back into her mother and stepfather's home in the heart of Shibuya. She kept her childhood bedroom. It had remained mostly undisturbed. She imagined for most the feeling of old sheets and the smell of home cooking were refreshing and nostalgic. For Tamina though, they inspired anything but comfort. In fact, they made her sick.  
Her twentieth birthday had just recently passed. She had moved out as soon as she'd turned 18, rooming with a school friend close to the shopping district. It was a great two years. Tamina took classes at a University for English literature and Art history and worked a part time job in a manga cafe. It had taken some time, but she had finally started to come out of her shell and forget about her difficult home life. And just when it seemed things had finally come together for her, it all came crashing right back down.  
'I'm moving.' Her roommate had told her. She'd been accepted into a prestigious University in the states and it was an opportunity she just couldn't pass up. Tamina understood, but was still left in a hard spot. She couldn't afford their apartment by herself and didn't know of anyone who could move in right away. She tried for the weeks leading up to her friends departure, but no luck. With no other options, she had to go back home..  
Tamina twisted a lock of her long rose gold hair absent-mindedly between her fingers while she waited in line at the market patiently. With her other hand she scrolled through her phone, tuning out the chatter and register beeping around her. The housing ads hadn't changed since she checked earlier. She let out a disappointed sigh and decided to check again later for new leads, closing that browser window. To continue passing the time, she went to another site and scanned a message board she visited often. The group called themselves 'The Dollars'. She'd received her invite months ago. She wasn't from the district that the group called home. In fact, she'd never even been to Ikebukuro except in passing. She assumed the invite was a prank, but even so, she started checking the boards frequently. It was something that did pass the time, if nothing else. There were even a few users she chatted with regularly now. She saw that "MONTA" and "Kahlua Milk" had been on earlier in the day. She found herself smiling as she read their posts.  
"Hello! Good evening!" The cashier greeted her, pulling her from her thoughts. Tamina gave a polite smile in return and placed her vegetables on the counter.

Tamina slung her tote bag over her shoulder as she walked back to her mother's apartment from the market. She breathed a bored sigh, preparing for an uneventful walk. She'd done it plenty of times. Her heart fluttered when she felt her phone begin to vibrate. She rifled through her bag until she found it and checked the screen. A smile lit up her face when she read the name "Nakura" and quickly answered.  
"Hey." She answered, the smile obvious in her voice.  
"Hey you." The man's voice came from the other side.  
Her smile broadened when she heard him. "I thought you'd be busy with work."  
"I can always make time for you." He replied sweetly. "I love hearing your voice."  
She laughed softly to herself blushing. He was always like this. Ever since they'd started having phone conversations. Sometimes Tamina wasn't sure how someone could be so cheesy. But that was something she loved about him. How sweet he was.  
They'd met in a chat room about a year ago. It started out innocent enough. Talking about TV shows and the weather. Then daily texts and chit chat. But over time it became something more. At least to Tamina it did. Casual messages turned into conversations that lasted all night. She wasn't sure why or when, but she started confiding in him more than anyone before. She told him all her secrets and transgressions. She'd never felt so connected with someone. She knew most people might think it weird. How could she have such strong feelings for someone she'd never even met in person? She couldn't explain it, but she didn't care. If she didn't tell anyone, did it really matter? This seemed to be a reoccurring theme in her life.  
"I'm happy you did." She admitted.  
"Rough day?" He asked.  
Her smile slowly faded as her day to day life seeped into the euphoric feelings he gave her. She gave a sigh. "I didn't have any luck with affordable housing or roommates again today."  
"Is it that bad at your moms?"  
"He was being weird again..."  
" I'm sorry..." He said in a sympathetic tone. "You can talk to me. Don't be afraid."  
Nakura always did that. Made her feel like she could tell him anything. He was never judgmental or rude. It was part of the reason she talked to him nearly everyday now. He was the only one she really trusted. "He just..." She started hesitantly. "Says inappropriate things and... always puts his hands on my shoulders or legs. Last night he asked if he could come into my room while my mom was out teaching an evening class. It was late. I just pretended I was sleeping..."  
"Why don't you tell your mom?"  
" I've dropped hints, but she always acts oblivious... Sometimes I feel like she just doesn't want to see it. He does bring home the money. He just started at a new firm."  
"You have to be more important to her than that."  
"I'm just afraid of what could happen if I said something. Everything would change..I don't have anywhere else to go."  
"Well I think you should. Enough is enough. And if nothing else, you always have me."  
She smiled softly at that. He always knew what to say. "I just keep telling myself it's only temporary. Until I can find a roommate like before. Anyway, enough about me. How are you?" She asked.  
"To be honest, I haven't felt too great either."  
Tamina stopped at a street signal, waiting for the light to change. "Is it your sister?" She asked solemnly.  
"Yeah..." Nakura replied with a sigh. "She hasn't been doing well. The hospital has been cutting her visiting hours. They want her to get more rest."  
"I'm so sorry..."  
"On top of that, I feel like my parent's marriage may be ending. The stress of it all is just too much for them." Tamina didn't know what to say. He was always there for her.  
To know he struggled just as she did tied him closely to her heart. She wanted to comfort him as much as he did her. " I wish I could do something for you."  
"Can I ask you something?" He asked in a softer tone.  
"Sure, anything." She answered him eagerly.  
"Do you ever just want to...disappear?"  
Tamina was taken off guard by the question but felt a sadness in her heart when she admitted to him. "I do… Sometimes…"  
" I know it's shitty to say, but I think about it a lot."  
Tamina found her pace slowing, focused more on the conversation than her destination. "Would you ever do it?" She asked.  
"Would you?" He replied right away.  
She thought about it. "Every time I've ever thought about it I just got scared."  
"Would you be scared if it was with me?" He asked.  
However inappropriate, she found herself blushing. She truly believed anything would be easier with him. Even ending it all. She suddenly realized the thought was more morbid than romantic so she tried to change the subject. She couldn't believe what a dark tone the conversation had taken. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I think I may just be making things worse."  
"No!" He replied quickly. "Knowing you feel the same just makes it so much easier."  
When she closed in on her house, she found herself dragging her feet. She hated saying goodbye to him. She'd talk to him in text or email later, no doubt, but she did loved hearing his smooth voice. "I'm home now. I have to help my mom prepare dinner..." She told him.  
He let out a disappointed groan. "You're always ditching me." He complained in an obnoxious tone.  
She laughed. "You know I'd much rather talk to you. I'll text you later, okay?"  
"Okay. Talk to you later."  
She tapped the 'end' button on her phone and leaned against the door momentarily. She waited for the blush to leave her cheeks and the jumpy feeling to leave her heart. He seemed to understand her in every way. She'd confided so much in him and he in her. Surely their bond was more than a distant, internet founded friendship. They truly seemed to share the same mind and spirit. To the point that she wondered 'if they suffered together, surely they could overcome together, right?'

Tamina stood at the counter next to her mother. The chopping of carrots on the cutting board was the only thing breaking the silence between them. It was awkward and quiet, but that had become the norm. There was so much that Tamina found she wanted to say when alone with her mother, but every word always halted when given the opportunity. In fact, they seemed to radiate from her, filling the space with a hostile tension.  
In the quiet, Tamina was thinking about what Nakura had told her. The words had always danced on her tongue, but there had always been a rift between her and her mother since her father had passed away. And it only grew after her mother remarried. 'But that shouldn't matter.' Is what she imagined Nakura would tell her. She envied girls that had a strong bond with their mothers. The ones that could tell their mother anything. She couldn't even discuss the simplest things, like school or dinner, let alone things of dire importance like this.  
But it had been three weeks and she just couldn't take it anymore. She desperately wanted her mother to know. Her husband was the reason. The reason they could never be close. The reason she'd moved out as soon as she could. The reason she couldn't bare to be there a minute longer. Maybe if she knew, things could finally change.  
'Nakura would support me.' She thought to herself. 'He'd be there no matter what.' Tamina summed up her courage. "Mom..." Her voice came weaker than she meant it to.  
"Yes dear?" Her mother asked in a flat tone.  
"I have to tell you something."  
" What is it?" Her mother remained unchanged. She didn't even look up from the vegetables she prepared.  
"It's about Toshiro..." Tamina started. Her mother's actions were halted. Her knife stopped mid-slice. Tamina felt the tension sky rocket, so she tried to go on quickly. "It started when I was younger. He always made me feel uncomfortable... As soon as I turned eighteen things started to become even more inappropriate. That's why I moved out so suddenly..." She confessed. Her mother still didn't say anything. She felt like she had to go on. " But since I've come home things have just gotten wors-"  
"Enough" Her mother said coldly.  
Tamina fell silent. She understood it was a lot to take in. Perhaps she shouldn't have blurted it all out at once.  
"Does anyone else know?" Her mother asked.  
"No." Tamina half lied. Only Nakura knew of her struggles, and he lived in another district.  
"Good. Don't talk about this again." Her mother told her.  
Tamina felt a sinking feeling. "What do you mean?"  
"You can't just go around making accusations like that, Tamina." Her mother began to scold her. "If someone at Toshiro's firm heard something like that his career could be over!"  
Tamina couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd just made the confession she'd wanted to make since she was a young, vulnerable girl. She'd done it a hundred times in her head. But here the moment was, and her mother's greatest concern was this man's job and reputation. "I-" She started, but stumbled over her words.  
"I know!" Her mother interrupted again. "I know you've struggled since your father passed and I know you've never liked Toshiro, but you never gave him a chance! And he's done more for us than you know! We could have ended up on the streets without him! Now whatever you think happened between you and him, I assure you it's simply in your imagination or a misunderstanding."  
Did her mother really think she'd misunderstand such a thing. Should she explain his advances? Every inappropriate comment? The touching? 'No', she thought. 'She wouldn't understand.' She had made it clear that she simply couldn't understand. All Tamina found herself saying was "I'm sorry." as she continued chopping.

Tamina shut the door to her room and quickly locked herself in. She was having some serious trouble coming to terms with the outcome of their conversation. Had her mother really just brushed off everything? Was she so desperate to uphold her husband's honor and reputation that she didn't trust her own daughter? Tamina tried to understand. She struggled in the effort. Why didn't she believe her? And if she did? That prospect was even worse. Was her mother really willing to forgo that?  
Her head was racing. The room was spinning. She didn't know what else to do. Her stepfather would be home soon. Dinner would be ready and her mother would call her down to join them. She'd be forced to sit across from this man while he bragged about his day. Her mother would go on about hers. And she'd have to find some way to remain civil. She'd have to remain silent while internally she was screaming. While internally she was dying. How could she accept that?  
Unsure of what else to do, she pulled her phone from her pocket. She called the only number she could think of. She brought the phone to her ear as it dialed out.  
"Hey." Nakura answered after a few rings.  
"I can't stay here." Tamina told him in a choked voice, fighting tears.  
"What happened?" He asked in concern.  
"I just can't take it anymore. You're the only one I trust Nakura… Please help me..." She confessed to him.  
"Can you get outside?" He asked suddenly.  
"What?" She questioned.  
"Can you get outside unnoticed?" He asked.  
She blinked through tears and looked around. "I think I could...Why?"  
"I'll send a car for you." He told her.  
She was silent, contemplating. "Just...leave?" She asked in a pitiful voice.  
"Yes, Mina. Just leave. You're an adult, you can do that." He assured her.  
"I have no where to-" She started.  
"Come to my place." He interrupted her.  
She was considering. Every lesson in her childhood screamed that she shouldn't. Run away from home? Well she could. She was a twenty year old woman. But to meet a man she'd met online? 'What the hell..' she thought. What else did she have to lose at this point?  
"Text me the address." Was all he said before he hung up. It wasn't like him to be that short with her, but she didn't linger on that.  
Tamina weighed the options yet again. Stay here and continue this farce indefinitely, or take a chance and run away with the man she thought could really love her. All of her.  
Before she could have second thoughts, she tapped away at the screen, texting him the address of a park nearby. She grabbed her pink duffle bag she used to use for her gym clothes and quickly rummaged through her drawers, grabbing shirts, skirts and anything else she might need. Her heart was racing. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. She shoved her laptop and phone charger inside and zipped the bag up, tossing it over her shoulder.  
As quietly as she could, she opened her door and made her way down the hallway. Descending the stairs was nerve wracking. Every noise they made seemed to be amplified a hundredfold. She could see her mother's shadow cast from the kitchen, ideally stirring the contents of the pot on the stove. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she bolted for the door as quickly and quietly as possible. She pulled on her shoes and slipped out the door, immediately ducking around the corner of the house. She leaned against the building taking in a hard breath. 'Well,' she thought to herself. 'I guess this is really happening…'

Tamina recognized the car that arrived at the park she'd designated. It was a local taxi business. One she'd seen often in the city. That gave her some comfort as she got inside. At least it wasn't an unmarked van with tinted windows or something. The driver didn't ask the destination. Just began driving as soon as she was ready.  
They only drove about 20 minutes. The cab stopped outside of an impressive apartment building. "This is it?" Tamina asked. She wasn't sure exactly where she was, but she knew she was in Shinjuku.  
"This is the address, yeah." The cab driver replied.  
Tamina nodded and began to go through her bag for her wallet. "How much do I owe you?" She asked.  
"There's no charge." He let her know. "It's already been paid."  
Nakura had not only sent a cab for her at a moment's notice, but he'd taken care of the bill. Tamina wondered how much more amazing this man could get. As if on cue, she noticed a light inside her bag. She pulled her phone out and opened the text. It contained a floor and room number from Nakura. She felt the heat in her face but she tried to compose herself. This was really happening. They were finally meeting. To say she was overwhelmed was an understatement, but she mustered the courage to get out of the cab. "Thank you." She told the cab driver as she climbed out with her bag.  
She climbed the stairs and walked in when the glass doors opened automatically. She scanned the board next to the elevator for the number Nakura had texted. When she found it, she pressed the button. She was mildly startled when the elevator buzzed, but she shook it off and stepped inside.  
When she stood outside the room, she found herself hesitating. What if he wasn't everything she imagined? What if he was a total creep? Or an old man? Or just a pervert? She didn't think she could take any more heartbreak today. In truth, everything was hanging on Nakura being the person she needed him to be. She extended her hand to knock, but the door swung open before she could. The man on the other side had black hair and dark eyes. He was much taller than her and wore the most inviting smile. It was a face she'd desperately hoped for. "Good evening." He greeted her in the smooth voice she'd come to know.  
She couldn't contain herself. Overwhelmed with emotion, she immediately closed the space between them. Their bodies collided and she threw her hands around him. He stiffened for a moment, but soon softened and wrapped his arms around her in return, giving her the comforting hug she desperately needed. With her head against his chest she couldn't see the wicked smile that consumed his face.  
After their initial meeting, he invited her inside and asked if she wanted a drink.  
"Alcohol" was all Tamina replied as she removed her shoes and began to explore his impressive apartment. Nakura laughed and excused himself to get her a drink presumably.  
'Is this guy for real?' was all Tamina could think as she entered the living space of his 'humble' abode. His library was like nothing she'd ever seen in person. Could he really have read all of these books? His computer setup was quite impressive too. He'd never mentioned being well off before so all of this was quite surprising. Here she was expecting a modest, one room apartment. Instead, she found a spacious, beautiful home with amazing decor. She put her bag down on his large leather couch and padded to the window to get a look at the view. It nearly took her breath away.  
"You're prettier than your picture." She heard him say from behind. She turned to find him holding two generously filled wine glasses. He offered one which she gladly accepted. "If I remember correctly, your favorite wine was… Pinot Noir?"  
Tamina couldn't fight the smile on her face. "You're a saint." She told him.  
With that a smile overtook his face once again. But damn, was his face beautiful to her… "If only you knew…" He replied.  
They came to sit on his couch, nursing their wine while they talked. She explained the events that had occurred at home and how they'd ultimately brought her here. Nakura let her vent, at some point consuming enough wine to boldly snake his arm over her shoulder on the back of the couch. Tamina noticed but didn't shy away. She welcomed the touch. All of her fears about him had melted away. Surely the wine lubricated the situation, but she didn't care. Any reservations she'd had earlier were gone.  
"So why did you call me?" Nakura finally asked.  
Tamina finished her second generous glass of wine and placed the glass on the coffee table in front of her. "Because if I didn't I probably would have jumped off a building or something."  
"Do you really mean that?"  
She nodded slowly. "I was thinking crazy. I was so hurt. I felt like I was just this tiny push away from doing something desperate." When she looked at him she thought for a split second she saw his face shift from a smirk to a more understanding look. She had no idea why he would be smirking at something like that, so she dismissed the thought. 'I need to slow down.' She thought, seeing just how much wine they'd both consumed when she noticed the nearly empty bottle on the table.  
"I have a confession." He said suddenly, having her attention at once. Tamina waited anxiously for him to speak. "My name isn't Nakura." He admitted.  
"Oh." Tamina said in relief. "That's okay. What is it then?"  
"I'm Izaya Orihara."  
"My name is Tamina Takeda." She followed his more proper introduction.  
"Tamina Takeda." He repeated with a grin. "Doesn't that just roll off the tongue."  
She shrugged, smiling herself. By now the liquor ran rampant through her system. Her eyes shifted to the man on the couch next to her. He was much closer than she'd realized. He didn't seem to notice her watching while he finished his drink. She wasn't sure what he planned to say or do next, but the warmth spreading through her body reminded her of what she was beginning to want.  
Izaya swallowed the last of his wine and toasted the empty glass. He withdrew his arm to lean forward and place his glass on the table in front of them. When he reclined back he gave a big stretch, then snaked his arm around her shoulder again. He stiffened momentarily when she responded, leaning into him. Her face came close to his and she softly asked. "Can I kiss you?"  
He was just nearly unnerved. Nearly... But an amused look consumed his face. "Why not?" Was all he said in response.  
But that was all the invitation she needed to lean forward and close the distance between their lips. He followed her lead, allowing her to dictate the speed and intensity of the kiss. She started slow but once the initially nerves faded she became bolder. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, insisting he kiss her more deeply. He complied, but still remained somewhat stiff. She wondered if he was uninterested or just trying to be a gentleman. She hoped for the later, as she decided to push even further to find out. She pressed more, sliding a leg across his lap. She noticed his brow grow tight. He was definitely contemplating when she came to straddle across his lap. Her skirt was high on her thighs and she could tell with certainty now that he was interested. He broke from the kiss, looking down at her legs spread across his lap. He let out a low noise, something of a defeated groan. "Alright, alright." He blurted, as if finally settling some sort of internal argument.  
Tamina was about to question him when he suddenly slid his hands behind her legs. She stifled a gasp when he quickly and effortlessly stood up off the couch. He guided her legs to lock around his waist and he began to leave the space, easily navigating around the furniture. "What are you doing?" She asked, laughter in her voice.  
"I'm not sure myself." He admitted, beginning to ascend the stairs to the next level. "But I guess taking you to bed is the simplest way to put it."  
Tamina's face was hot and red. She rested her head against his shoulder watching the rooms and hall pass in reverse. When they got to his room he kicked the door shut behind him. He brought them to his bed and collapsed on top of her. That's when everything became even more heated. He kissed her now. He kissed her hard. Now she was the one struggling to keep up with his insistent pace. Whatever he had been contemplating before seemed to have finally gone out the window. Not that Tamina had any protests. Her breaths escaped her as he kissed and sucked on the side of her neck. She was so turned on, she didn't care about the marks he was surely leaving. She didn't know if this was right. She wasn't sure if it was the heat of the moment or the alcohol, but regardless, she had no intentions of stopping. When he broke away from her to remove his shirt, she did the same. In a split second he was on top of her again, his mouth on her collar bone. He reached behind her to unclasp her bra and pull it off. He rested all of his weight on her hips and she hugged him with her legs. She gasped as she felt his groin pressed against the thin fabric between her thighs. She couldn't take it anymore. She reached down and started unbuttoning and zipping his pants.  
She heard him breathe a laugh. "Are you sure about that?" He asked.  
Tamina just nodded vigorously, leaning up to try and catch his lips again.  
He kissed her briefly, but pulled back and pressed closed to her ear. " Damn, you want it that bad?" He asked as he started roughly sucking on the side of her neck again.  
Tamina whined this time. "mmHM..!"  
His voice came in a growl now next to her ear. "Say please." He demanded.  
"Please..." She begged him.  
He groaned and laughed pulling back to jerk his pants down the rest of the way. She sucked in a surprised breath when he grabbed her panties and pulled them to one side without bothering to take off her skirt. He wasted no more time, pressing into her. She gasped when his hips slammed into hers. He wasn't shy, groaning loudly as he moved his hips into hers time and time again. This was by far the most erotic moment of her life. It wasn't long before her modest whines grew to moans. The volume of which were beginning to escape her. And he was loving it. In fact, he was encouraging it, mercilessly rocking his hips into hers while he left his little marks all over her neck. His pace was so fast and hard. She never imagined their sex would be so rough, but she didn't have any complaints at the moment.  
It was like this for a while, Izaya didn't let up at all. Tamina's nails dug into his shoulders and back but that just seemed to entice him more. Finally he grabbed her legs tight and pressed deep into her hips, groaning hard against her. She gasped, caught off guard by his orgasm. She thought he'd at least give her a warning. She felt herself become unbearable tight in response and she cried out at the mercy of her body and it's primal pleasure. Her legs were shaky but he still held aggressively tight to her. Finally he exhaled deeply, releasing her from his grip and beginning to pull away. She protested when he did though, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her breaths were starting to come more easily as she recovered from their intense session.  
"Fine." is all he said as he came to settle partially on top of her. She molded her body into his, sleep calling her. Izaya was thoroughly amuse by her exhaustion. To think, he'd gone easy on her. When sleep took her right away he shook his head. "Silly humans."


	2. A Short Fall

When Tamina woke in the morning, the first thing she noticed was the pounding in her head. She slung her hand across her face to hide her eyes from the light. The room was bright. This was the first thing that reminded her she wasn't in her own room. The memories of the night before started to come back to her. When they did, she took her hand away and squinted in the light. The place next to her in bed was empty. She briefly wondered where Izaya had gone. In her search, her eyes came to a glass of water and some painkillers on the nightstand, along with a note. She quickly snatched the pills and popped them in her mouth, chasing them with a sip of water. Then she grabbed the note.  
'Had some work to do. A car will pick you up at 6. I have a surprise for you.' That's all the note said.  
Tamina smiled to herself. What was he planning now? She let herself flop back against his bed, clutching the note to her chest. She breathed a content sigh. As she recalled their sex the night before the heat returned to her face. She bit her lip, remembering his hot breath on her neck and his strong hands gripping her waist. She blinked when these thoughts occurred and felt herself coming to a stark realization. She mentally scolded herself. Had she really forgotten about protection? How ever drunk she was, there was no excuse for that kind of lust. She counted the days in her head and felt a little relief. Her cycle was pretty regular and based on this one act alone, she was pretty sure she'd be okay. Still, she climbed out of bed pulling the sheets around herself. She seriously needed a shower.  
Tamina peeked out of the bedroom. The apartment was even more impressive in the daylight. Across the hall she thought she saw the washroom so she scurried across the space and entered, feeling the wall for a light switch. When the room lit up she took in a satisfied breath. Of course, his bathroom was just as impressive as the rest of his place, with a beautiful glass shower. She helped herself to it, eager to wash off the stink of sweat and sex.

Steam billowed from the bathroom as Tamina exited, using a towel to dry her long hair. When she recalled her bag was still downstairs she headed for the stairs. While padding down the hall she was sure she heard sound coming from downstairs. Confident it couldn't be anyone but her lover, she made her way down the steps, just a towel wrapped around her wet body. She scanned the room for Izaya, but instead, found a woman. The woman didn't take notice of her, carrying several paper bags in her arms and dropping them on his counter. Tamina was about to turn and hurry back upstairs but realized she still needed the bag with her clothes in Izaya's living room.  
While Tamina contemplated her predicament, the woman turned and gasped at the sight of someone unfamiliar standing on the stairs. "Who the hell are you?!" Namie Yagiri shouted at her.  
Tamina was completely taken aback and somewhat embarrassed as she stood, clutching the towel to herself. "Uh-I'm-" She started.  
"Nevermind!" The woman interrupted her. "I don't care." She said in a disgusted tone.  
"And who are you?" Tamina asked, beyond offended by the strangers dismissive attitude.  
"None of your business." Namie hissed at the girl, pulling groceries out of the paper bags and placing them on the counter. "Whoever you are, if you're shacking up with him you might as well put his groceries away." She snatched the bags once she was done and began to leave, mumbling to herself. "That damn Izaya. Leaves a booty call here and doesn't even warn me…"  
Tamina was about to shout after but the woman slammed the door before she could get the words out. She gave an exasperated scoff, coming to snatch her bag off the couch where it had remained from the night before. Then she marched herself back upstairs. 'Who the hell was that? And who the hell does she think she is?!' She thought to herself, stomping down the halls back to Izaya's bedroom. She intended to call him right away and find out.  
She plopped down on his bed, one hand rummaging through a side pocket of her bag to locate her phone. She pulled it out and turned on the screen, but the boiling irritation she'd just been feeling faded immediately when she noticed something. Rather, didn't notice something. No calls. No messages. She quickly scanned through her settings. Good service. No airplane mode. There was a knot that found its way into her throat when she came to realize her mother hadn't checked on her at all.  
At first she was angry. 'Fuck her.' She thought. 'I did the right thing. I said something. I put an end to it.' But she then came to realize that she seemed to have put an 'end' to everything. Then her thoughts became more remorseful. She went so far as to wonder if she was the one in the wrong. Maybe she should have at least left a note. She let out a frustrated breath, tossing her phone back on the bed and pulling blankets over her head.  
The day went on and still no calls. No texts. Tamina came to accept there probably wouldn't be. She began to think maybe this is what her mother wanted. For the problem to just...go away. As much as that thought hurt, Tamina wouldn't allow herself to cry about it. 'Her loss.' She thought to herself. At least she had someone like Nakura that accepted her and cared. 'Izaya.' She corrected herself.  
Eventually she did rip herself out of bed and tried to be optimistic. Begrudgingly, she put away the groceries that awful woman had left on the counter. After that she passed the time with daytime TV, sitting on his couch, ideally flipping channels. Every so often she checked the Dollars message board. When it finally started to grow dim outside she hurried upstairs and started to get ready. She picked a short tight dress to flatter her figure and a cropped jacket. She fussed in his bathroom with her wavy hair. She hadn't found a hair dryer to her dismay so her hair had dried naturally in loose waves and kinks.  
She let out a low groan when she noticed the hickies all over the side of her neck. Turning her head from side to side in the mirror she silently hoped she'd at least be able to cover them a little. When she gave up on that she applied some eyeliner and mascara. She was rubbing a nude color on her lips when she noticed her phone vibrate.

The car pulled up to a building Tamina couldn't readily identify. The text she'd gotten from Izaya instructed her to meet him on the roof. She had no idea what he could possibly surprise her with on top of a building, but she began the task of anyway.  
When she pushed the heavy metal door on the building's roof open, she squinted in the bright artificial light. After a quick scan she found Izaya, standing next to the giant illuminated marque. She smiled softly and started toward him.  
He noticed her approaching and gave his own toothy grin. "Well, hello."  
"Hi." She replied with a shy smile.  
He swung under the bar and jumped down, landing the impressive distance with ease. "I heard you met my personal assistant."  
Tamina blinked, more than impressed by the stunt, but gave a relieved laugh. 'Personal assistant.' That's all that woman had been. What a huge weight lifted. "She called me a booty call…" She mentioned irately .  
This caused Izaya to have a good laugh. "Sorry, sorry. What Namie lacks in tact she makes up for in more practical skills."  
Tamina just nodded, watching him cross the space. In a swift movement, he jumped right up onto the unguarded ledge of the building. He balanced effortlessly, but she still became tense. Just seeing him up there made her nervous. The wind blew wisps of his hair as he stood, looking out over the city. She stared a moment when he extended a hand to her, but she shook her head. "I'll be too scared." She told him.  
"Don't you trust me?" He asked with a smile.  
Tamina didn't think she'd have to think about that, but way up here, she did for at least a second. Still, she decided to slowly reach her hand toward his. He grasped her hand in his and pulled her right up. She gasped when her feet dangled momentarily but he easily pulled her onto the ledge with him, looping his other arm securely around her waist. She gripped his jacket, head tucked close to his chest. It was windier here without the break of the building. She tried to keep her nerve.  
"Are you scared?" He asked.  
"Yeah…" She admitted. "Can we get down?"  
This caused him to laugh. "But why? This is the surprise."  
Tamina blinked, completely lost at this point. "I'm sorry, what is?" She asked.  
"Didn't you say it would be easier with me..?"  
"What?" Tamina asked again, feeling more nervous now.  
"Disappearing?" He hugged her tight to him, jerking them toward the edge.  
Her eyes went wide and she gasped, heart racing when she caught a glimpse of the fall. "Stop!" She begged, gripping him tight.  
He laughed, steadying them. "What? Why?"  
Now she struggled against his grip, trying to break away. "I don't want to!"  
He looked surprised, but still held her tight. "You don't want to what? Want to die?"  
"Why are you doing this?!" She demanded.  
"I'm confused Tamina. We talked about this." When she continued to struggle, he shrugged and released her.  
She quickly climbed down off the ledge, heart still pounding. She couldn't believe he'd just done that. Why would he act this way? He wouldn't really betray her trust, would he? Maybe he was upset. Maybe something had happened. "Is everything okay with your sister?" She blurted. That was always the thing that bothered him most. When they used to talk he'd always mentioned it. His younger sister, struggling through a terminal illness. Perhaps things had taken a turn for the worst, and he was acting out.  
"Oh, there's something you should know about that." Izaya said. Her hopes faded as she watched his ominous smile. "I don't have one sister, I have two." He began. His smile grew. "And I despise them both."  
"So," She started, struggling to find her words. "You… lied about that?"  
"Correct!" He shouted, his volume startling her.  
Her face became disgusted. "But..Why woul-"  
"Oh Miss Takeda. If lying about that struck a nerve with you I'm afraid you're about to have a really shitty night, because we're just getting started." He told her in a nearly giddy way.  
"What else?" Tamina growled.  
"What else did I lie about? A lot… Pretty much everything, actually." He let her know, his smile never fading.  
"Why are you doing this?" Tamina asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought last night-"  
"What, when I fucked you?" Izaya asked bluntly.  
She couldn't believe it. How heartless he was being. It was really all a lie? Every word?  
"Thanks for that by the way" He continued in a cocky tone. "I really needed to blow off some steam. I couldn't believe you just went for it, I mean, we just met. Talk about desperate." He went on, laughter in his voice.  
"Why!?" She demanded again.  
"Oh, calm down. I don't like being yelled at. But to answer your question, I just wanted to see what would happen. I do this sort of thing a lot. You know. Put the mouse in the maze and watch where it goes…These little experiments are the closest thing I have to a hobby! " He said matter-of-factly.  
Tamina's brow became tight. An experiment? That's all this had been? What a monster this man had turned into. Or rather, had been all along. "You know what 'could' happen!" She snapped back. "You didn't even use protection!"  
"You're missing the whole point!" he raised his hands to calm her. " In fact, you seem to have misunderstood the whole situation. I didn't do all of this just to sleep with you. I did it to help you." When he hopped down and came over to place a hand on her shoulder she recoiled away. He gripped her though, holding her shoulder and guiding her to look over the building ledge with him. "Seems you're a liar too. I thought you wanted to disappear? Weren't you 'this tiny push away from doing something desperate'? I tried to help the nice way, but this is another way to go, I suppose. Doesn't this make it easier? Knowing it was all just fun for me?" He thought, then he went on. "Oh, but I really didn't plan on jumping with you. Sorry to disappoint. Too much amazingly fun stuff to do here!"  
The tears that had threatened her lids finally spilled down her face. "You can't mean all this.." She tried to refuse his cruelty. She fought it, pitifully.  
He gave an obnoxious guffaw. "I did it because I love you!" When she looked up at him suddenly he added. "But to be fair, I love all humans, so in that sense, you're still not special. Points for seducing me though! I usually don't sleep with girls like you , so I'll give credit where it's due! Honestly I didn't plan that part at all. I've never wanted to fuck one of you sad girls, but well, the opportunity quite literally fell in my lap."  
'One of you sad girls.' That's when Tamina understood. There had been others... It had been a big game for him, and she'd played right into his hands. And she wasn't even the only one. She turned fast, arm extending to slap him hard in the face. The action was halted when he grabbed her wrist with ease. "Ah hah! There's that aggressive girl I remember from last night! Stop that, you're turning me on all over again!"  
She growled, jerking her hand from his grip. When he quickly let go, she lost her balance momentarily. She steadied herself against the ledge with a hand. When she instinctively tried to take a step back, her back collided with Izaya's chest and he quickly wrapped her arms around her. She was stiff, craning her neck away when he leaned close to her ear. "This has to be it. That 'little thing' to just destroy what little faith you had left. There's no shortage of men out there that wanna take a pretty thing like you, chew you up, and spit you out. I'm liberating you." He hugged her tight to him from behind, speaking almost sensually. "You're this short fall away from making all the sadness go away." He was quiet for a second, but then roughly let her go, his tone changing back to normal. "Unless you were full of shit, and you're just a sad angsty little girl like all the rest." He started to leave. "So go ahead and make your choice. If you meant everything you said all along then the choice should be easy! If not, well," He shrugged. "Try and not waste anyone else's time! Oh, you might wanna try a morning after pill or something if it's not too late! My bad!" He turned giving a wave. " If there are any developments on that front, don't be a stranger! I know a great doctor! But that's a big 'if'! Since, you know, you might just kill yourself tonight. Okay, Buh-bye now, Miss Takeda! Thanks again!" He shouted, as he slammed the heavy metal door behind him.  
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She couldn't begin to comprehend his cruelty. How could someone do something like this? She'd confided in him. She'd cried to him, and he'd listened to every word. If she'd known those words would be someday dangled over her head like a joke, she might have done herself in already. She leaned forward, gripping the building ledge. That was it. The thing that finally broke her. The faint light she'd clung to had been snuffed out, and with it all of her hope. But not just that. Maybe that she could even live with. No, on top of it all, she'd been humiliated. She'd been used and made into a huge, sad joke.  
'Just do it.' She thought to herself. Wouldn't it hurt him? Wouldn't it hurt everyone if she did? Her mother. Her step father. They'd suffer with remorse for years. This thought provoked her to climb onto the ledge again and come to stand there. She took a small step. And another half step, the last little distance to the very edge, letting her toes peek over. But she was stopped and gripped with fear when she saw the fall again. Tears of frustration rolled down her face. She had nothing left. She might as well just do it. She closed her eyes tight, letting herself sway. Maybe a strong wind would come, causing her to lose balance, making the choice for her. 'Do it.' She was willing herself. 'It'll be fast. Do it now. Just let go.''  
But now, faced with it, she wanted to be saved. She didn't want to jump to hurt someone. She wanted to -not- jump because someone; anyone cared.  
'Just do it!' She kept urging herself. She had been so sure before. Why was she having second thoughts now?  
In her last act of desperation, she stepped back and pulled her phone from her pocket. Maybe a suicide hotline, or a hospital. Anything. The Dollars message board was the last thing she had checked, and still occupied her screen. A shot in the dark, but she quickly tapped the text 'Someone please help." into the forum. She clutched her phone to her chest, taking deep hard breaths in and out, counting the seconds. They started to pass quickly. She'd leave it to someone else. Sixty seconds. If no one responded by the time she counted to sixty, she promised herself she'd throw herself from this building. It would be fast, she kept reminding herself. The fear wouldn't last long. Just a short fall...  
When 30 seconds passed she felt the throbbing in her heart picking up again. She stepped up to the edge again. She needed to stop making excuses. Time was winding down. She began trying to accept her fate, easing her weight from her heels into her toes when she felt her phone vibrate in her hand. She exhaled hard.  
Tamina looked at the illuminated screen, trying to steady her pulse while she opened the private message reply. "Where are you?" it read from user MONTA.  
She hesitated, but eventually decided to text the address back. She was already standing on the edge of a building. What was one more risk tonight? A moment later another message came through. 'On our way. Stay there.' It told her.  
She didn't know if this was a good thing yet, but someone had taken the time to answer, and reach out to her. Someone did care. For that, she justified, she could wait a few more minutes. For that she allowed herself some comfort. With shaky legs she climbed down and sat against the ledge, listening to the sounds of cars in traffic and chatter of crowds in the city below.. She looked up at the sky. It was a clear night.  
No less than 10 minutes later, she heard the metal door of the roof screech open. She remained where she was, reluctant to approach whoever had come.. She didn't know who she could trust anymore. She didn't know if she'd ever trust again at this point.  
"LC!" She heard a man call her Dollars handle.  
"Hey LC, where are you?!" A girl's voice came this time as the small group came to investigate.  
"You're sure this is the place?" Another guy asked.  
"I'm sure, I'm reading it right now." A young man in a hat answered, looking into his phone screen. He squinted in the light and found Tamina sitting by the ledge when his eyes finally adjusted. "There she is!" He pointed.  
The group of four quickly rushed to her.  
"Hey, are you okay?" A man asked as he came to crouch next to her.  
Tamina nearly answered yes, but her voice cracked. Overwhelmed with emotion, she began to cry again. "No." She admitted in a sob.  
A man had broken what little was left of her heart just a short time ago. He confirmed her every fear. He shook her to the core and brought her closer to her undoing than ever. She had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. But now strangers rushed to her aid. People she just vaguely knew online had just dropped everything they were doing to come find her.  
The man in the hat removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Don't worry." He told her. "My name's Kyohei. You're safe with us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This story is posted up to Chapter ten on ff.net if you're feeling inpatient! Otherwise, see you next week!


	3. Russian Kamakazes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is currently posted up to chapter ten on ff.net.

For the second day in a row Tamina woke up in an unfamiliar place. After a quick check of the room she pulled the blankets over her head. The flood of memories from the day before were just as depressing as they had been when she'd gone to sleep. They hadn't dulled in the least.  
"Hey are you awake?" She heard the girl whose apartment she occupied ask.  
'Erika.' That was her name. She'd been part of the group that picked her up last night. Tamina came to find out Erika owned the Dollars handle Kahlua Milk, which she chatted with frequently. This made staying at her place slightly less awkward, but only slightly considering the situation.  
"Mhm." is all Tamina answered, still hidden among the covers on the futon.  
"Great!" Erika replied enthusiastically. "You slept wicked late, but I've got some clothes for you if you wanna get ready. Sorry, they'll probably be a little big."  
Tamina sat up with little energy. Even though she'd gotten through last night, depression still gripped her. What was there for her to do now? She refused to go back home. The fact that her mother still hadn't made contact just confirmed what she already knew. There was no place for her there. Not anymore. She was truly embarrassed by her circumstances. She had no money, no ID. She didn't even have her own clothes. There was no way she'd dare call Izaya and ask for her things back. No, she was willing to part with them to avoid ever seeing that awful man again.  
After pushing her mess of hair out of her face and rubbing her tired eyes her vision adjusted. Erika was holding the clothes out to her with a big smile and wide eyes. Clearly she'd been awake for a while. She was already dressed and ready. "Where are we going?" Tamina asked, already thinking of excuses she could use to avoid seeing the light of day.  
"Well you said you'd never been to Ikebukuro. So me and the boys were going to take you out and show you around!" Erika replied.  
"I appreciate that, and everything you guys have done so far, but I'm fine. I'm sure you all have other things-" Tamina started to decline.  
"Oh, come on! I even played hookie from work. Come out with us and have some fun!" Erika insisted.  
Tamina tried not to hold a suspicious expression. None of them had outright asked last night, so she couldn't be sure they knew of her intentions on top of that building last night. However, Tamina was beginning to suspect that she was on suicide watch. Still, she didn't want to seem ungrateful. "Okay." She finally accepted, getting up to dress in the clothes Erika offered.  
Erika called the boys and a short time later they left her apartment building and began to walk the busy streets waiting for their ride. Erika didn't leave room for many words as she went on about the shops and restaurants that were around. It was just as well, as Tamina found herself in a less than talkative mood. She wanted to engage. She knew the mechanics for it were inside her but the energy was absent. Today every part of her dragged as if she were jet lagged, so she let her new friend fill the air with uninterrupted chatter.  
The van pulled up next to them with Kyohei leaning out the passenger window. "You ladies looking for a good time?" He asked with a smile.  
"Ah Dotachin! Don't you get me started! If you're gonna talk like that can we sit on your lap and call you daddy?" Erika asked, causing Tamina to smile a little despite herself.  
"Ew. Come on, get in. I'm starving. We waited all day." He waved them into the van.  
It wasn't until that moment that Tamina noticed the Lolita-neko girl graphic on the sliding door of their van. In her haze last night she'd missed that detail, and now it caused her to finally have the laugh she needed. "What is -that-?" She asked, the laughter in her voice.  
Kyohei had a smile too, but it came with a blush and an averted gaze. "It's a long story."  
Erika opened the door and they loaded up.  
"Nice to see you again, LC." The boy she squeezed in next to greeted her.  
"Hey, Walker." Tamina acknowledged, remembering him. "And you can call me Tamina. That's my real name."  
"Oh, man! With your name and hair you could totally pass for an Elven princess from a kingdom far, far away." Walker chattered.  
"Are you into cosplay?" Erika squished in to sandwich Tamina between them. "If your hair was a little darker we could do a sick Sakura cosplay. I have the costume... Oh! Or Revolutionary Girl Utena!"  
"Come on, guys, let the girl breathe." Kyohei scolded them from the front seat.  
"She's fine!" They both replied in unison.  
"It's okay." Tamina assured him. "Actually, I used to work in a manga cafe in Shibuya. I'd cosplay as Chibi USA sometimes..."  
"Whhhhhhaaaaattt?" The two chimed in an excited pitch together, startling Tamina a bit.  
"No way! A fellow anime, slash manga, slash cosplay enthusiast!" Walker rejoiced.  
"Now you've done it." Kyohei remarked with a head shake.  
"This is incredibly exciting! I have this amazing personality test I can give you!" Walker raved. "Hurry! Without thinking! Name the first three manga that pop into to your head!"  
Tamina blinked. "Wait, wha-"  
"Without thinking! Go now!" Walker shouted.  
Pressured, Tamina fumbled but tried to blurt out the first ones that popped into her head. "I-Uh—Fruits Basket... Full Moon o Shagashite... and Shingeki no Kyojin..?"  
"I see..." Walkers hand came to hold his chin. He started to ponder. "So you're 20 years old... You're an organized girl with a talent for house work like cooking and cleaning... Fondness for animals... Potential tragic backstory... But overwhelming potential and desire to overcome insurmountable odds..." Walker beamed with a clenched fist.  
All Tamina could do was stare. It was a bit of a stretch, but he was, in a strange way, kind of accurate. She was unsure if he was spewing nonsense or if there really could be some reason behind it.  
"Knock it off!" Kyohei ordered. "We just met her. Can't you guys contain your fuckery for just a little bit?"  
"She doesn't seem bothered in the least by said fuckery. Are you Tamina?" Erika asked.  
"Ugggghhh, you guys are giving me a headache already." Saburo groaned, reaching to turn up the volume dial on the stereo to drown them out. Tamina imagined she wore a pretty surprised expression as one of the bonus tracks from Ruri Hijiribe's latest album filled the car. She stifled a laugh when she noticed Saburo tapping the beat on the steering wheel with his fingers.  
Tamina found her smiles coming easier every passing second. A familiar feeling was starting to come over her. She sat among all the funny banter she'd read through for months and it was better than she could have imagined.  
Tamina blinked when she came to a realization. "Oh wait." She tried to pause the group. "I don't have any money. My wallet is in my bag and I don't...have it.." She trailed off, embarrassed yet again by her circumstances.  
"That's fine." Saburo said. "We've got you."  
"No, you've all already done so much..." Tamina protested.  
"Don't worry about it." Kyohei assured.  
"So you have a bag somewhere?" Erika asked. "Where is it? Maybe we can grab it for you."  
"No, it's all the way in Shinjuku." Tamina shook her head.  
"Is that where you're from?" Walker asked.  
"No. I'm originally from Shibuya."  
"Oh, then what brought you to Shinjuku?"  
Tamina breathed a heavy sigh. "This guy did."  
They all seemed to understand so they let the subject go.  
The van pulled up to a sushi restaurant unlike Tamina had ever seen. She did a double take, reading the sign. "A...Russian sushi bar?"  
They all began to pile out. "It sounds strange but it's a staple around here." Saburo assured her.  
Tamina couldn't contain her surprised expression when a towering black man dressed like a sushi chef waved to them. "Ah! Kyohei and friends!" His thick Russian accent had Tamina even more perplexed. "Come, come! Eat good sushi! I'm having very good specials for you today!"

 

"There are a lot of things on this menu that concern me." Tamina noted, scanning through the menu.  
"A lot of it will surprise you." Saburo reassured.  
Eventually she settled on a sweet potato maki roll. Seemed like one of the safest choices. And they were right. Everything about this place was surprising in a delightful way. She made quick work of her roll and shared some edamame that Erika offered. It was so strange to her how the passing of time could change things like your fears and your pains. She found it easier and easier to talk and laugh again. By the time tea was served Walker and Erika were in a heated debate, comparing the works of Mamoru Hosodo and Hayao Miyazaki.  
"So Tamina," Kyohei began suddenly. "We've had our fun. Now that the ice is kind of broken I'm sure you'll understand we've got some questions. Like what leaves a girl from Shibuya crying on the roof of a building in the middle of the night?"  
The rest of the group remained silent. It seemed out of respect they'd waited until now to ask. But by the look they all shared, Tamina felt like they already knew. From that she felt no harm in admitting. "I was going to jump." She confessed.  
"Why?" Kyohei asked. When she hesitated he reassured her. "We're just here to help. Not to judge you."  
In the past Nakura would have said something similar. There was an ache, something like a tightly wound knot in her chest. She let out an audible breath and started to explain. "I just... I keep trying to start fresh and find a place for myself, but time and time again, I put myself in the path of people who have the worst intentions for me..."  
"You can't blame yourself for other peoples intentions for you." Kyohei told her. She knew that, but it didn't inspire much comfort. "This guy in Shinjuku. Was he your boyfriend?" He asked.  
"Kind of..." After thinking on it she wished to change her answer. "No... not really. We met online and we talked a lot... He was like my best friend. But he turned out to be a complete asshole..."  
The group seemed to share a knowing look. "A complete asshole you met online from Shinjuku, huh?" Kyohei inquired. "You wouldn't be talking about a guy named Izaya Orihara, would you?"  
Tamina felt a cool feeling wash over her. So this guy had a reputation. She should have known. This was even more embarrassing. "You know him?" She asked softly.  
"We went to the same high school." Kyohei explained. "Now he's an info broker, which is shady to begin with, but I heard lately he's into even shadier things. This definitely fits his M.O." Tamina averted her gaze now. Everyone could feel the tension Izaya's name brought, but Kyohei pressed on. "So he has your things?" Her tense silence was his confirmation. "Me and Saburo know where he lives. We'll go get them."  
"No, you don't have to do that." Tamina protested.  
"If he makes you uncomfortable you don't have to deal with him anymore. We'll take care of it." He insisted. "But if you're planning on staying here, you need your stuff, right?"  
Tamina wanted to object more, but there was no sense. She had no money, or clothes and she couldn't go on borrowing a phone charger.  
"You are going to stay, right?" Erika asked. Tamina hadn't considered what she would do from here. "You can stay with me as long as you need. We'll all help you get on your feet." The group shared a nod of agreement at her statement.  
"Why are you doing all of this?" Tamina asked, staring down into her lap. After the cruel reality check she'd endured, this sort of kindness was overwhelming. Yesterday she'd asked the same thing to a man that took such fun in toying with her life. Now she asked this small gang, who desperately seemed to be trying to stitch and weave her solidly back into this world.  
"Because you're a Dollar." Kyohei answered almost immediately. "Don't get me wrong, we'd probably do it even if you weren't, but I dunno. That's how we want the Dollars to be. We take care of our own."  
Tamina never could have imagined that the online community she'd found herself in just a few months back would be anything but that. But it wasn't just a chat or a message board. It was something tangible. And this humble group had taken it upon themselves to give it shape and purpose. It seemed a purpose in life didn't have to be anything transcendent or grand. Just anything you found yourself clinging to. Anything that truly agreed with your soul.  
Tamina felt herself becoming emotional, but not entirely from sadness. She kept her eyes and head down. It was as if something was welling up inside her again. When she had woke in the morning she'd felt empty, and little by little, all day she'd been filled. Her heart had ached, and it still probably would for a while but another day was passing and the world hadn't ended. Life was going on, and she finally felt herself fully embracing that.  
Kyohei sensed her tension. "Why don't you guys go talk to Simon." He told the group. It wasn't a job for three people, but Erika, Walker, and Saburo got up all the same and began to shuffle out. Walker even closed the door behind them. Tamina silently marveled. There were times it seemed the group was so in tuned they didn't even need to speak their intentions.  
"I just have a quick question for you Tamina, I really hope you don't mind me getting a little personal." Kyohei started. Unsure, Tamina just nodded, so Kyohei continued. "Did Izaya do something to you?"  
Tamina froze. Of course he had, but how would she explain without explaining everything. It was all so fresh. She wasn't eager to pour salt in the wound just yet.  
"Did he hurt you?" Kyohei pressed.  
"No." Tamina answered. 'Not physically, anyway.' She silently thought.  
"Because I swear, you say the word and me, Saburo and Walker will go over there and set that motherfucker on fire." He assured her with a serious look.  
Tamina was taken aback by the sudden aggression, but it was clear Kyohei didn't play those games. His respect for women and morals were too great. Even though he made it a point not to get too mixed up with Izaya these days, he knew his former classmate's manipulative and crooked ways well. He was sure the info broker was intimately tied with this girls near suicide.  
Tamina had never had many male figures in her life. Positive ones anyway. As an only child who lost her father young she'd yearned for that kind of protective presence. Despite the harshness of Kyohei's words, they made her feel kind of good. " No, no, it's fine." She assured. "Really. I'm an adult and I should have been more responsible. I really want to just forget about him."  
"Fair enough." Kyohei concluded the matter. He wasn't going to make her explain something she didn't want to, so he took her word for it.  
When they came out of the private room they found the rest of their group at the bar. The couple of empty shot glasses on the counter hinted that they might have added to their tab rather than closing it. The slight flush in Walker and Erika's cheeks just confirmed this.  
"Tamina!" Erika called to her. "It's time for your first Russian Kamikaze."  
"That sounds intimidating." Tamina laughed nervously.  
"It like everything in Russia! Little bit of flavor! Mostly vodka..." Simon chimed with a big smile, already pouring the drinks.  
Kyohei nudged Tamina. "Hang out with these two for a bit. Me and Saburo have something to take care of."  
Tamina knew his intentions, but didn't protest. "Alright." She relented.  
Before she could say anything else, Walker and Erika tugged at her wrists, dragging her to the bar.  
"Come on! Come on!" Erika piped.  
"I usually don't drink this much..." Tamina gave a half hearted protest. She'd definitely made some regrettable decisions the last time she drank...  
Walker handed her the shot glass, as if she hadn't said anything. "Simon! Tell us a story!"  
"Oh yes! When I was little boy in Russia..." Simon began.  
The perplexed look on Tamina's face was only interrupted when the glass that had been forced onto her was coaxed to her lips by Erika's hand.

 

Kyohei tapped his foot impatiently as he waited outside the apartment. When the door finally opened Izaya greeted him with a big smile. "Dotachin! What a nice surprise!" He gushed. The falseness oozed from his words.  
"Just give me Tamina's stuff." Kyohei told him.  
"Oh, so you're a friend of Tamina's too!" Izaya went on. "How is she doing?"  
"She's fine." Kyohei replied, trying to keep it short and mask his irritation.  
"Last I saw her she was looking kind of blue. I do hope everything is working out."  
At that, Kyohei couldn't bite his tongue anymore. "Cut the innocent bullshit. I know you did something to that girl."  
"Wow, wow." Izaya raised his hands defensively. "It seems you've got the wrong idea. I didn't do anything that wasn't invited, but she bit off more than she could chew. It's hardly my fault."  
"Just give me her stuff. Now." Kyohei demanded again sternly.  
"Fine, fine." Izaya relented and went back inside to get Tamina's bag while Kyohei waited in the doorway. "Here." He said when he returned with the pink duffle bag. "Have fun with that one. And just so you know, she definitely puts out."  
That was it. Kyohei momentarily snapped, roughly snatching Izaya by the shirt. "You're lucky I'm not wiping the fucking floor with you! So stop testing me."  
Izaya was hardly fazed, seemingly expecting the outburst with a smirk. He had bated it after all. It was just another thing he loved about humans. How easily provoked some could be. "Touchy, touchy. I'm just being honest. And since we're being honest, you're honestly no comparison to Shizu-chan." Izaya's face suddenly shifted from an amused look to a more serious one. "So let me go." He ordered.  
Kyohei growled and shoved Izaya back, releasing his shirt. " If I catch you messing with that girl again, or any girl for that matter, I'll be back here." He warned, snatching Tamina's bag.  
Izaya smirked. "Is it really smart for one of Dollar's key players to be running around making threats based on things he doesn't know anything about? I certainly hope you don't make a habit of that. Could be bad news for the Dollars."  
Kyohei seriously contemplated decking him. He wanted to. But he exhaled a heavy breath and turned to leave. "You don't know shit about the Dollars." He mumbled as he left.  
This caused Izaya to have a soft laugh. "Is that so?" He said, shutting the door.

 

"...And this is why I am firm believer in old Russian superstition. If your nose is itching, you will most certainly be drinking soon." Simon finally finished his long, drawn out story.  
Tamina stared back. When she realized he was finished she blinked. "Oh..!" She felt compelled to say something. There was a soft flush in her cheeks now. She'd only had two of these 'Russian Kamikaze's' but she knew that she shouldn't have anymore.  
Erika and Walker, on the other hand, by now had had at least four. "Wow Simon! That was great!" Walker piped. "Reminds me of the age old tale of a girl who customizes her own lover and receives the perfectly modeled android boyfriend!"  
"Oh! Oh!" Erika snapped her fingers. "Absolute Boyfriend! What a classic..."  
Tamina was fascinated by their connection. Even if it was an insanely obscure reference considering the strange story Simon had just told. Erika and Walker became consumed discussing the details of the aforementioned manga.  
A chorus of buzzes and chimes rang out in the room. Erika and Walker quickly checked their phones and read the Dollars email notification that had alerted them. Tamina noticed Simon too checking his phone. She smiled softly to herself, completely amused by the scope of people she found herself connected to. Hearing hers, she reached for her phone on the counter. Her hand collided with the person next to hers when she did. They had also been in the process of the same action, his phone resting on the counter right next to hers. They both recoiled their hands instinctively and blurted a 'sorry.' She noticed the message on his illuminated phone screen was identical to the one on hers. It was then she realized he must be in the Dollar too. Her eyes shifted to look at the man next to her. She blinked and took the time to really have a good look. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up too, meeting her gaze. She didn't mean to stare, but he had caught her, so she just had to ask. "Has anyone ever told you that you look like a blonde Yuuhei Hanajima?" She asked the blonde man dressed like a bar tender seated next to her.  
Shizuo Heiwajima breathed a soft laugh, averting his eyes and pushing his blue glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, once or twice." He admitted.  
Tamina scanned the message. It wasn't anything important. Just the usual bustle of Ikebukuro. Something she used to admire from a far. It was a strange sensation being completely submersed in it. And the network just seemed to grow. She closed the message and placed her phone back on the counter. She noticed the man next to her do the same. She decided to ask. "So, you're in the Dollars too?"  
"Uh, yeah, I am." Shizuo admitted. "Are you new here, or something?" He asked.  
"Yeah. Why?" She replied.  
"I've just never seen you before." He said.  
"Well, I'm a Dollar, so I could have always just been super transparent." She joked.  
He chuckled at this. "No, I'm sure I haven't seen you around before. When you travel with that entourage it's hard to be discreet." He nodded toward her friends.  
She followed his gaze and noticed Erika and Walker in the process of demonstrating the fusion technique from Dragon Ball Z. She coughed a laugh and shook her head. "I see what you mean. But yeah, I'm kind of new here." She confessed.  
"Just be careful with this Dollars stuff." He felt compelled to warn. "I'm sure your friends have your back, but this city had been pretty crazy this past year."  
"Crazy how?" Tamina asked.  
"Eh." He waved. "Forget I said anything. I hate scaring girls." He gave her a warm look, causing her to gain a soft blush. It was really incredible. He looked -just- like Yuuhei Hanajima.  
"Hey Shizuo, you about done?" The blondes friend called to him after returning from the bathroom.  
"Yeah, Tom, I'll be right there." Shizuo answered and started to stand. "It was nice meeting you."  
"Yeah, you too. I'm Tamina." She wanted to introduced herself before he left.  
"Shizuo." He replied with a nod of acknowledgment. He grabbed a small zipped cash bag off the counter and gave a wave. "See you around."  
Tamina gave a wave and a soft smile in return, watching him leave. She didn't notice the redness in her face until Erika clutched her into a tight hug.  
"Well, well, well. I suddenly have a new OTP!" Erika mused, rubbing her cheek against Taminas.  
Tamina squinted one eyes at the nudging. "I don't even know him."  
"That was Shizuo Heiwajima! He's about the closest thing we have to a real life manga character around here!" Walker explained enthusiastically.  
"He's not kidding!" Erika confirmed.  
"Why? Because he looks like a pop star?" Tamina asked.  
"They call him the strongest man in Ikebukuro, but it doesn't stop there. He's probably the strongest guy in Japan." Erika told her.  
"The world!" Walker added.  
They'd treated most matters with similar enthusiasm. On top of that they were clearly intoxicated by now. So Tamina couldn't take them entirely seriously. She didn't doubt that this Shizuo was probably strong, but she couldn't comprehend the true meaning behind her friends words. And regardless of all that, she reminded herself this probably wasn't the best time in her life for another love interests.  
Simon placed a cookie on the counter in front of Tamina and walked away before she could question him. 'A...fortune cookie?" She found herself examining it to find that it, indeed, was. With a quick confused look around she broke it in her hands and pulled the tiny strip of paper out to read. It read: 'Pay attention to the signs. The universe is speaking to you.'   
Her brow was tight with skepticism at first, but it slowly softened. Listening to the universe... It wasn't something she typically tried to do, but with everything that had happened, she considered maybe she did need a new perspective. Even if it came from a little cookie.  
A new batch of costumers entered the establishment. The door hung open momentarily, flooding the restaurant with the noises of the city outside. Tamina glanced at the door as it slowly shut. She swore she'd heard the sound a loud horse whinny. It wasn't something she'd ever expect to hear in this busy city. She watched a moment after then looked back to the little paper in her hand. With a soft smile, she tucked the fortune into her phone case for safe keeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! New chapter will be posted in a week!


	4. Monsters

Tamina used the cover of her blankets to hide the light from her phones screen in the dim room. She lay on the futon next to sleeping Erika, quietly scanning her phone in the morning hours. It had been a few days since she'd come to Ikebukuro. She wasn't entirely familiar, but she was getting used to the city. It had the same heavy traffic and bustle of Shibuya, so she was finding the adjustment to be a pretty easy one, all things considered. She did start to worry that she was becoming a burden though. She'd shared Erika's small apartment the whole while, and even though Erika said she could stay as long as she liked, she checked ads for housing and jobs every chance she got. It would be terrible if she overstayed her welcome.  
When the housing section didn't present any leads, Tamina switched over to the job ads for the area. She scrolled and scrolled, nothing quite catching her eye. That was, until she saw a familiar name. Her finger stopped abruptly and she pulled the page back down so she could read what she'd nearly passed. It seemed to be an ad for a live in nanny position from an 'Orihara.'  
Tamina immediately began to contemplate why someone like Izaya would need a nanny. She couldn't be sure with all the lies he'd told her, but she was fairly certain he didn't have any kids. She then began to wonder if maybe it was someone else entirely. But that wasn't likely. It wasn't a very common name. Curiosity thoroughly peeked, she pushed the covers off and got up. She stepped into the bathroom and shut the door so not to disturb Erika. After blocking her own number she called the number attached to the ad. The line rang a few times. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. What would she possibly say if Izaya did answer the other end? Maybe she'd just hang up.  
The other line picked up. "Blocking your number is kind of rude." A young girls chipper voice came.  
It wasn't a voice Tamina expected at all, or recognized. Completely unprepared, she stammered. "Um—Oh...I'm sorry."  
"Can I help you?" The girl on the other end asked.  
"I..." Tamina started, mind racing. She considered just hanging up but found her words. ".. just saw your ad and-."  
"Oh! You must be interested in the position. I'm guessing you want to set up an interview?"  
Tamina wasn't in a position to turn down a potential job of any kind, so she quickly answered. "Sure!"  
"There's a cafe by the library, you know it?" They asked  
Tamina tried to think. "Well-."  
"Great! We'll meet you there in an hour." Then they abruptly hung up.  
Tamina found herself standing a moment after, phone still pressed to her ear. Apparently she had a job interview today. She checked the time and quickly opted to start getting herself ready. She didn't like to read into things, but the whole 'listening to the universe' thing started to come into her mind. With her new found perspective she was determined to seize opportunities that presented themselves. No matter how impromptu.  
Before she could do anything she needed to relieve herself. And when she did...  
"Oh yes!" She couldn't control the volume of her exclamation.  
Erika, jolted up from her futon in the outside room, quickly looking all around for the source of the outburst. "Is everything okay?!" She called to the bathroom, rubbing her tired eyes.  
"I'm not pregnant!" She heard Tamina shout back from the other side of the bathroom door, excited laughter in her voice.  
Hardly fazed, Erika began to lay back down. "Well that's always good." She called back, pulling the covers over her to go back to sleep.  
It had weighed heavy on Tamina's mind. What if that insane douche bag had gotten her pregnant? What the hell would she do from there? She was not ready to be a mother and she was exceedingly unprepared to co-parent with someone like Izaya Orihara. She'd told herself if she was even a day later than usual she'd get a test right away. But all that wasn't necessary. With the arrival of her monthly visitor the worrying and stressing about it was over. She thanked whatever omnipotent powers that be that she wouldn't be having that psychos baby. Her period had never been more welcomed in her life.  
There was a whole new spring in her step now. Today was definitely turning out to be exceptional day.  
She didn't want to disturb Erika again, so as quietly as she could, she started dressing and getting ready. She wasn't sure how professional she should look for a nanny job but settled for a high waisted skirt and a button down shirt. After she coiled her hair tightly into a bun and pinned it in place, she adjusted her clothes and checked herself in the mirror. She worried she looked a little too much like a secretary, but she decided she didn't have time to keep changing. This would have to do.  
She left the apartment building and headed in the direction she thought she'd find the library and subsequently the cafe.. She vaguely remembered her friends mentioning it in passing while they drove aimlessly around Ikebukuro one day. She strode with a good amount of confidence. While she walked she checked the job ad again just to try and prepare herself. She wasn't usually so impulsive, favoring thought out and decisive plans to improvisation, but this city just seemed to bring out all sorts of new things in her.  
The confidence she'd had started to fade when she realized she had been walking for some time now, and things didn't look familiar. 'I would have seen it by now...' She began to think to herself. She wasn't sure if she was off by a block or two, one direction or another so she couldn't even begin to remedy the situation. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she activated her map app to try and get her bearings. While it loaded she scanned her surroundings, squinting to try and read the signs on the businesses.  
Her eyes were drawn away from the landmarks and to the tall blonde man she recognized strolling through the crowd. They'd only spoke once, but he wasn't a complete stranger at least. Immediately realizing he could help, she called out to him. "Hey!" She shouted with a wave. The gazes of several people were drawn to her, but not the man whose attention she'd been seeking. Unbearably awkward, she tried to avoid their eyes and started to move through the crowd toward him. It was then that she remembered his name. "Shizuo!" She called to him again. "Excuse me! Shizuo!"  
The man halted, suspiciously looking around for the source of his name, his lips adjusting the cigarette between them. Tamina stood on her tip toes to wave over the shoulder of a man walking in front her. Shizuo right away recognized the short, pastel haired girl from a few nights ago, and took a more welcoming look. "Oh hey," He called back. "Tamina, right?"  
Finally Tamina caught up with him. "Yeah, hi."  
"What's up?" Shizuo asked, dropping his cigarette to the ground and stepping it out.  
"I'm kind of lost." She admitted. "I was looking for a cafe that's by the library. Do you know where that is?" She asked, checking her phone for the time. A small panic set over her when she realized she only had about ten minutes to find this place.  
"Oh yeah, it's a couple blocks away." He confirmed.  
Tamina let out a groan. She had hoped it was closer than that. "Could you give me some directions?"  
"I could just take you there if you want." He offered.  
"Really? You're not busy?" Tamina asked hopefully. A guide would certainly be helpful.  
"I've got some time before work. No problem." He told her.  
She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much."  
He took the lead, starting to show her the way. When he'd heard his name called, he assumed it was trouble. Bullshit. The usual. But he was pleasantly surprised when he saw it was the girl he'd met the other night. Their conversation had been brief, but she had made an impression. Girls didn't usually reach out to him, and however casual the situation, he still felt himself a little flustered. He was determined to keep his cool though. "So," He decided to fight the quiet between them. "You...like coffee?" He heard himself ask. As soon as the words left he internally cringed. She was going to a cafe. What kind of stupid question was that?  
But Tamina smiled. "I do. I have a deep and passionate love for it, actually."  
Shizuo felt relieved that she'd humored him. "Meeting someone?"  
"Actually I have a job interview." She told him.  
"Oh. Well, good luck."  
"Thanks."  
"What kind of job?" He asked.  
"The ad said it's a nanny job. I don't have a lot of details. It was kind of impulsive to be honest."  
Shizuo nodded at that. "I think you'll get it. You look really professional."  
"Too professional?" Tamina asked, still feeling insecure. "I was worried I might have overdressed."  
"No." He immediately assured her. "You look really nice."  
She felt herself softly smiling. "I appreciate that."  
Through the sounds of traffic and chatter of the busy streets a shrill whinny erupted. The acoustics reverberated off the faces of the buildings. Tamina halted immediately, eyes darting around. It wasn't the first or second time she'd heard it, but she had yet to see the phenomenon. There were rumors. She'd often read about something of a headless horseman in the streets of Ikebukuro. But, like most things before now, it wasn't real to her. Just text on a screen or a message board. Just a legend. However, if the last week or so had taught her anything, it was how crazy and unpredictable life could be.  
The whinny tapered off, and in it's lull blended into the loud roar of a motorcycle. That's when her eyes found it. The black bike and the sleek rider in the yellow helmet clutching it as it darted through traffic. She was hypnotized by it. Folklore and spooky stuff were things she was typically dismissive of. But she couldn't deny what her eyes could see.  
"You've never seen the rider before?" Shizuo's voice pulled her from her awe. He'd stopped when he realized she wasn't keeping pace with him anymore.  
"Is it really like they say?" Tamina couldn't contain her curiosity. Now that she'd seen it for herself, she had so many questions. She was visibly excited. "Does it really have no head?"  
Shizuo didn't seem keen on speaking about it. A shrug was his only reply, hands stuffed in his pockets.  
"I heard it's in the Dollars. Is that true?" Tamina pressed, coming to walk with him again once the rider rode out of site.  
"She." Shizuo corrected.  
"Hm?" Tamina looked to him. His face had changed. It seemed tighter.  
"The rider. 'It' is a 'she.'" He informed her. He didn't like it when his friend was referred to as an 'it'.  
"Oh." Tamina wondered if she'd annoyed him by his tone. "I'm sorry. Do you...know her?" She asked hesitantly.  
"There's the cafe." Shizuo nodded toward the establishment now coming into view, glad to change the subject.  
Tamina felt the anticipation starting to get to her now. She did a few deep breaths to try and mentally prepare herself. "Tell me I'm gonna do great." She ordered Shizuo.  
He laughed but complied. "You're gonna do great."  
Tamina nodded, trying to soak in the statement. "I'm gonna do great." She confirmed to herself.  
Shizuo just watched as she continued her positive affirmations out loud for the short remainder of their walk, a smile creeping on his face.  
When they came to the front of the cafe she made her final preparations. With a shimmy she adjusted her skirt and smoothed her blouse. "Do I look okay?" She asked Shizuo for some final assurance.  
He wanted to say 'You look amazing.' And he almost did. He opened his mouth, but hesitated at such a bold statement. With his hesitation, he worried she'd get the wrong idea. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her confidence. "Good. Yeah-uh, great." He found himself blurting.  
However awkward, it was all the assurance she needed. She should just thank him and get inside, she knew that. She had practically no time left. But she still found herself smiling and lingering. "You were a huge help. I really appreciate it."  
Her eyes were a really dark blue he didn't see often and he really liked it when she smiled. Her nose would get all scrunched up and her eyes would get tight and squinty. It was incredibly endearing. If he were a more confident or experienced man when it came to woman, he'd take the opportunity to complement her on these things. But the words just wouldn't come out. "Sure, no problem." Is all he said.  
Pressed for time, she awkwardly started to back away to go inside. "Maybe I'll see you again?"  
Not at all satisfied with that, and frustrated with his own reservations, Shizuo forced himself to blurt out. "I could give you my number." It sounded a little more assertive than he meant it to, so he added. "You know. In case you...need more directions."  
But it didn't seem assertive or forward at all to her. "Sure! That would be great." She told him, coming back right away to offer her phone.  
After they exchanged numbers, Tamina noticed she was now three minutes late. Panic gripped her. "I have to go now. I'm sorry." She felt guilty for cutting their time short.  
Shizuo waved her off though. "No worries. Hurry up. And good luck!" He told her again.  
With a wave she went inside. She wished she had a bit more time to compose herself. Here she was, heading into a job interview all flustered with butterflies like a school girl. She tried to shake it off and focus on the task, scanning the room. She wished she'd gotten more details about all of this. She wasn't even sure who she was looking for.  
"Hey there!" A young brunette girl with long braided hair stood from a small cafe table and began to wave. Tamina looked around momentarily, just to assure herself the girl was indeed waving to her. "Yeah, you!" The girl reassured. Still unsure, Tamina made her way to their table. She didn't seem old enough to be in a position to hire someone. "You're here for the interview right?" The girl asked when Tamina approached.  
"Oh, yes. How did you-?" She started to question.  
"You're the only one dressed like it, so I just assumed. Hi! I'm Mairu Orihara! Nice to meet you!" The bubbly girl introduced herself, shaking Tamina's extended hand vigorously. "And this is my twin sister, Kururi!"  
Tamina hadn't noticed the other young brunette with shorter hair sitting at their table who spoke softly. "It's nice to meet you." They were identical and wore similar clothes with different color schemes.  
"It's nice to meet you both. My name is Tamina Takeda " Tamina gave a small bow then took the seat they offered.  
"Right off the bat, I gotta say you're dressed much better than anyone else we've seen!" Mairu told her enthusiastically.  
"Oh, good. Thank you. I was worried I may have overdressed." Tamina admitted.  
"No way! You've go that sexy, librarian thing happening." Mairu gushed.  
Tamina was taken aback at the lack of formality and overall forwardness of this girl but decided to accept the compliment. "Uh-thanks..."  
"Do you have a resume?" Kururi asked in a flat tone.  
"No." Tamina felt embarrassed to admit how unprepared she was.  
"Eh, that's fine." Mairu waved it off. "Just tell us about yourself."  
"Well, I'm twenty years old. I just moved to Ikebukuro from Shibuya." Tamina started.  
"Have you done nanny work before?" Kururi asked.  
"No..." Tamina admitted again. "But I'm completely capable of doing the things you mentioned in your ad. I've done a lot of related work. I'm a really good cook and I can clean and organize really well too. I tutored when I was in school so I can help with any studies or homework.." She realized she sounded like she was just rattling things off, so she decided to stop herself.  
The girl shared a look and a nod. "That all sounds good." Mairu confirmed. "How do you feel about Yuuhei Hanajima?"  
Tamina stared a moment, unsure if the question was a serious one. The expectant stares from the girls served as her answer. "I-..I really like him." She replied, hoping her confusion wouldn't reflect in her tone. The girls didn't say anything, so she felt compelled to say more. "I've seen all of his movies. I rooted for him all last season of 'How Much Can You Increase 1 Million Yen in a Month.'.."  
The girls huddled together, softly speaking to each other. Tamina wondered if she might have said the wrong thing.  
"Alright, you're hired." Mairu said suddenly.  
Tamina felt like she could be knocked over with a feather. She wasn't sure if this was even real. She'd barely said anything at all."That's it?" She asked, hoping there might be more.  
"Yup, we're done here." Mairu said.  
Tamina started to wonder if this was some sort of joke or game. "Did Izaya have anything to do with this?" She asked suspiciously.  
"Ew. You know our brother?" Mairu asked.  
"That's unfortunate." Kururi's soft voice came.  
"Are you his friend or something?" Mairu asked.  
"No, I wouldn't say that." Tamina said. So these two were his sisters...  
"Good, because he's a real twat waffle." Mairu said with some relief.  
Tamina couldn't contain the laugh that that caused. "He definitely is."  
The girls started to collect their things. "To be totally honest you're the only person we've interviewed that wasn't insufferable or an old hag." Mairu started to explain while Kururi jotted things down on a piece of paper. . "On top of that, I'm always looking for female bed partners, and you're super cute! I can't wait to have you in our home!" Tamina recoiled a little when Mairu started to invade her space. "What do you wear when you sleep at night? Can we agree now to an 'open door' bedroom policy?-OW!" Mairu whined when Kururi grabbed her by her braid and yanked her back and out of Tamina's face.  
"We start cram school in a few weeks to prepare for the Raira Academy entrance exams." Kururi explained monotonously. "You'll move into our spare room and be responsible for cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands and help with our school work." She handed Tamina a piece of paper. "This is the address."  
Tamina nodded, taking the paper. "Thanks a lot for the opportunity. I hope I'm a good fit for you guys."

Overly excited with the outcome of the days escapades, Tamina stopped by the store to pick up supplies. She'd decided she would straighten up Erika's apartment and prepare a dinner for her and the boys. It was the least she could do after all they'd done for her. Erika's small kitchen was rather barren, so she had to grab most of the essentials. Spices, garlic, soy sauce, rice. Then some reasonably priced meats.  
She pulled her phone from her bag when she felt it vibrating and promptly answered it. "Hey Erika."  
"Hey, where are you?"  
"On top of a building..." Tamina replied sarcastically. Her new circle of friends had kept close tabs on her for the days since the whole incident, but she finally felt comfortable enough to joke about it. There was a long pause on the other end though. She concluded that perhaps her sarcasm hadn't been obvious. "I'm kidding! I'm at the store." She assured her friend.  
She heard Erika breathe a relieved sigh on the other end. "Come on. Don't scare me like that."  
"Sorry, sorry. Actually, I had a job interview today," Tamina began the check out process, holding her phone to her ear with her shoulder to free her hands.  
"Oh, that's great! How did it go?"  
"Really well. I got the job."  
"Wow, you're having a pretty stellar day, huh?"  
Tamina was unable to suppress a smile. "I even ran into Shizuo Heiwajima..."  
An excited squeal erupted from the other end of the line. "You bad girl!"  
She laughed, grabbing her two hefty bags of groceries. "Stop it. We just exchanged numbers."  
"You got his number? Hurry back here so we can gossip! I can give you a crash course in tasteful sexting too if you're interested..."  
"Baby steps, Erika. Baby steps. I'll be back soon." Tamina stopped momentarily to slide her phone into the side pocket of her bag after she ended the call.  
She was smiling a while after on her walk. She started to contemplate whether it would be appropriate to text Shizuo now. It was kind of soon, but she could tell him she had gotten the job. He'd probably be happy to hear it. It was a good ice breaker and might segway into casual conversations. She was curious about him. What kind of work did he do? Bar tending, she assumed.  
Then, a cool feeling coursed through her. 'Stop.' Her inner monologue urged. 'Stop thinking like that.' Because even if he told her all about himself, could she truly believe him? Could she really trust him? Or would she always have this nagging feeling in the back of her mind. This horrible jaded feeling.  
Her thoughts were interrupted when someone's arm came and slung over her shoulder. Under the touch she tensed. She didn't need to look up to know who was suddenly walking so close and touching her with such familiarity.  
"Miss Takeda!" Izaya Orihara greeted her warmly. "I hadn't expected to see you around Ikebukuro! To be honest, I hadn't expected to see you around at all." He admitted smugly.  
She didn't dignify him with a look, keeping her eyes forward. "Go away, Izaya."  
He laughed. "Aw, don't be like that. What are you mad at me for?"  
She scoffed, shrugging his arm away. "You lied to me, slept with me and tried to make me kill myself."  
He didn't mind her shrugs or hostile tone in the least. "Yet here you are, alive and well, feathering a nice little nest for yourself in Ikebukuro. Seems things worked out just fine. Resilience is a quality in humans that so often fascinates me. Mostly because of how subjective it is from person to person."  
She rolled her eyes at his twisted logic. "You can leave now."  
This only provoked a toothy grin from him. "Oh, suddenly you're Miss "hard to get"? Come on, let's be friends."  
Her arms were tight to her sides, carrying the bags. "I don't want a friend like you."  
"And why is that?"  
"Because your little experiment is over and I don't want anything to do with you." She told him sternly, jerking herself away from his arm.  
He released, but kept pace with her. "So I toyed with your feelings a little bit. Can you honestly say you're not in a better position now because of it?"  
She was unwilling to entertain his logic. Regardless of how things had turned out, she refused to see redeeming qualities in anything he'd done.  
He then felt the need to add. "At least your step daddy's dirty hands aren't sneaking up your skirt anymore."  
Tamina stopped in her tracks, turning to finally look at him. She hoped the venom could ooze from her stare and strangle him where he stood. He was heartless. He was worse than heartless. She'd stomached his invasive presence until now, but she wouldn't stand for him treating the things she'd confided in him like a punch line.  
He watched her and didn't say anything. He thoroughly enjoyed watching her gears turn.  
"You're a monster." She told him, eyes tight and narrow.  
This only made him smile. "There are a lot of monsters in this city." He told her, "But I'm not one of them."  
A loud crack ripped and echoed through the city streets. Tamina jumped. It was an unnaturally loud snapping sound that caused her head to snap back and jerk around to find it's source. "What was that?" She asked with some urgency.  
"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." She heard Izaya say.  
She followed Orihara's gaze. Her eyes focused on the figure down the street making it's way toward them. It was someone familiar. She could make out the blonde in the bar tender get up from this distance, making his way up the block in their direction. But when she took in the whole image, something just didn't add up. He marched toward them, carrying what appeared to be a street light post in one hand over his head effortlessly. Her eyes widened, unsure if she was seeing things clearly. Everything in her brain screamed to her that it didn't make sense. It had to be a joke or a trick. Something like what she was seeing couldn't be real. It defied all logic. It was like a scene from a movie, that required special effects and hours of computer editing.  
"IZAYA!" Shizuo's voice came booming. He was more than angry. He was furious.  
Izaya took such enjoyment, watching Tamina draw an audible breathe, clearly startled. He loved it when people looked at Shizuo in such a way. Like he was a beast or a rabid dog. He took the opportunity to snake an arm around Tamina from behind and pull her back to press against him. She was so busy trying to process what she was seeing, she didn't protest his touch. She actually felt some comfort in it now. His voice came close to her ear. "Based on your reaction I'm guessing you've never seen this idiot in action." With his free hand he reached into his coats inner pocket and pulled out his knife. "I've been suffering him for years but he could probably kill a small girl like you with less than a slap." He flicked his wrist to snap the knife's blade into place and pointed it over her shoulder at the raging animal stomping toward them.  
Tamina wondered if Izaya would really protect her if he had to. When she'd been warned about Shizuo Heiwajima, she imagined the stories must be crazy exaggerations. How strong could the 'Strongest man in Ikebukuro' really be? 'Ungodly, apparently.' she was thinking now. And he looked so incredibly angry. The kind of anger not easy curbed or restrained.  
"Now, now Shizu-chan!" Izaya called to the raging man. "You've got my friend here terrified!"  
"What a gentleman you are, using her as a human meat shield." Shizuo barked back.  
"To be honest, I'm not confident you wouldn't hit us both!" Izaya retorted then spoke close to Tamina's ear again. "You see Miss Takeda, these are the kinds of monsters you really have to worry about. I find it most comparable to an animal with rabies, thrashing and snapping at everyone and anything."  
"SHUT UP!" Shizuo shouted, slamming the end of the light post against the ground in frustration. The lamp at the end popped, glass shattering everywhere. The metal became embedded in the ground, caving the concrete there.  
It was pure instinct, the way Tamina's hands released the bags that they carried and clutched to her chest protectively. The groceries spilled all over the pavement but she couldn't even mind that. She was so gripped with fear. She'd never in her life seen such a demonstration of strength and it had her literally shaking. It seemed to be something deeply rooted inside her. Something she couldn't help even if she tried. She had never felt so small in her life. So fragile. She pressed back into Izaya further, fingers gripping his arm. Izaya pulled her tighter to him in response. He could feel the fear radiating from her very being and he loved every second of it. The pleasure he got from feeling her tremble at the sight of the beast was intoxicating. He locked eyes with Shizuo, wearing a devious smirk all the while.  
That's where the stand off remained for some tense moments. Shizuo couldnt describe the feeling seeing that flea holding Tamina gave him. It pissed him the hell off, of course, but it was more than just that. He had really thought he'd made a connection. He would've worked up the courage to text or call her eventually. There were things he had wanted to learn about her too. But all of that hope felt diminished seeing her in that bastards arms so familiarly. The worst was the way she looked at him. How afraid she was. She looked truly disturbed by what she'd seen. It was a look Shizuo was all too used to.  
Izaya would be content like this for some time. He basked in it really. But all good things had to end, and he was a busy man, so he decided to cut things short. "You should get ready to run." He told Tamina.  
"What?" Tamina asked.  
Izaya suddenly threw his knife, sending it hurling toward the blonde. Shizuo reacted quickly. It was too fast to avoid completely, but he pivoted so his shoulder would take the blow rather than his chest or heart. Shizuo grunted when the knife sunk deeply into his flesh, blood quickly beginning to soak through his white shirt from the wound.  
In that brief moment of confusion, Izaya roughly released Tamina and took off running. "See you soon, Miss Takeda!" He called back to her as he made his escape. Tamina was momentarily off balance, but didn't realize what was going on quick enough to make a run for it.  
"Hey!" She heard Shizuo shout as he hurled the light post after Izaya with just one hand. She remained frozen as it flew over her head and soared an impossible distance. It just narrowly missed Izaya as he continued to flee.  
When Tamina turned back, Shizuo had come to stand in front of her, but kept some space between them. Izaya's knife still stuck in his shoulder and his blood was now traveling down his sleeve, but he payed it no mind, as if it weren't even there. Even if she knew what to say to him, words couldn't come out. The whole incident left her in a soft shock.  
Shizuo couldn't stand the way she was looking at him. People had looked at him like that his whole life. Like he was a freak. A monster... He noticed the bags and groceries she'd dropped in all the commotion. Vegetables were scattered and an entire bottle of soy sauce had shattered and now trickled it's contents down the street, staining the pavement. With that, he decided he should just leave. He'd caused enough trouble obviously and he couldn't take much more of that scared look on her face.  
"Sorry." He mumbled to her as he passed, rifling through his pockets. He needed a cigarette. Now.


	5. The Unexpected

Tamina stood at the kitchen counter, slicing crab meat into thin strips and layering it on top of rice for Kururi and Mairu's boxed lunches. Today was to be their first day of cram school in preparation for their entrance exams for Raira Academy, so Tamina woke early and started her usual bustling to make sure everything got done.  
In the two weeks since she'd taken this job she'd started to get to know the twins, and they were quite eccentric to say the least. Mairu was always outspoken and energetic, bouncing around her daily life and tasks like she had an IV pumping her full of caffeine. She also had a tendency to be a little more flirtatious than Tamina initially felt comfortable with. She had gotten some what used to it though. Kururi on the other hand was always rather quiet and direct. Occasionally though, she'd surprise Tamina with displays of affection, like laying her head on her lap while they watched T.V. or helping with dishes and asking about her day.  
Despite their quirks, Tamina saw none of their brothers toxicity in them and her apprehensions toward them faded away. It may have been a short time, but she could feel a growing tenderness in her heart for the young girls she'd assumed responsibility for. It was her every wish that things could continue like this for a long time.  
She finished packing their lunches and left them on the counter. Then she came into the living space to grab a stack of laundry she'd folded. After checking the time she knocked on the girls' door and called to them. "Hey you two! It's time to get up." She waited, listening for a stir or rustle, but there was silence. With an eye roll, she entered the room, knowing well by now that these two didn't get out of bed easily. "Psst! Come on guys."  
The two started to stir in their bed. If it were a week or two ago, Tamina might find it strange, seeing them snuggled in bed together. But by now it was just normal. Mairu spooned Kururi and the two nuzzled together even further rather then make any movements to wake up. Tamina sighed and crossed the room to approach the window and quickly yanked open the blinds, letting the world's light take over the space. The girls groaned, hiding their faces and tangled themselves together even more.  
"What do you want for breakfast?" Tamina asked as she began to put each one's clothes away in the appropriate dresser. "I can make you an omelet. I already have rice made. Natto?" Tamina grunted when she tripped over something sharp. "Mairu," She whined and began to scold. "Why are there ninja stars on the floor? This is so unsafe."  
Finally Mairu sat up in bed rubbing her tired eyes while Kururi covered herself again with blankets. "They're called Shuriken." She mumbled. "They're used for stabbing, slashing and throwing."  
"That's not what I asked." Tamina commented, but didn't press further, picking the little weapons up with a sigh.

After Tamina successfully got the girls up and fed, she sent them on their way for the day. They didn't need much supervision when they were out and about, and she was happy to give them space. She knew them well enough already to know they didn't need her lingering over their shoulders. It was just as well, as it gave her time to herself. She'd get her household duties done, like cleaning the girls room, dishes, and finishing up the laundry. After all that her day was mostly free until it was time for dinner prep. She didn't mind her own company at all, but her friends typically took any opportunity to drag her out.  
She decided to do one last load of laundry before contemplating her activities for the day. She wandered around the apartment, grabbing garments from where ever the twins had tossed them into a basket. She adjusted the basket to balance on her hip when her phone started to vibrate. She checked the ID and answered. "Hey."  
"Hey, what are you doing?" Kyohei asked when she answered.  
Tamina held the phone to her ear with her shoulder and carried the basket down the hall. "Finishing up laundry. What about you?"  
"Saburo wants to go see that movie that Ruri Hijiribe did the make up design or whatever for." Kyohei began in a less than enthusiatic tone.  
"It was critically acclaimed!" Tamina heard Saburo shout defensively in the background.  
"Yeah, whatever." Kyohei brushed him off. "Anyway, don't make me go with him by myself."  
"Where are Erika and Walker?" Tamina asked, checking pockets of clothes for money or pens before tossing them into the washing machine.  
"They're at one of their batshit otaku things. They're gonna meet us later."  
Tamina thought on it for a bit. She wanted to go, but hesitated. She had plenty of things here she should take care of. This was her 'job', after all. In the midst of contemplating, she blinked when she felt something inside the pocket of one of Mairu's hoodies. She pulled the small box shaped object out of the pocket and stared at it, unsure of what it could be. Her finger found a switch on the side of it that caused the small apparent taser to come to life. The piercing cracking sound and flash of sudden electricity running through the device just about scared Tamina to death. She yelped in surprise and dropped the weapon, along with her phone. It turned off once released and fell to the floor. She let out a heavy sigh, placing a hand on her chest, trying to steady her heart.  
"What was that?" She heard Kyohei's voice still coming from her phone. "Hello?" He called after her delay in response.  
She picked her phone up off the floor and pressed it back to her ear. "Sorry."  
"What happened?" He asked.  
"Nothing." She insisted. She didn't feel like explaining that she'd nearly just tasered herself. She was already mentally preparing a lecture she'd have for the twins later. "Alright, I'll go." She relented.  
"Good, because we're outside." Kyohei let her know.  
"What if I said 'no'?" She asked.  
"I dunno, we'd probably just come up and get you." Kyohei said before ending the call.  
Tamina laughed and shook her head, then prepared to head out with the boys.

After the movie the group picked up Erika and Walker and began their usually meandering around town.  
"Sailor Moon Crystal and Dragon Ball Super have proved what I've always known. Every 90's to millennial anime is in dire need of a reboot."  
"Totally. I mean, look at Brotherhood. I'd argue it was better that the original."  
"That's just because there were way less fillers."  
"The fact that there hasn't been talk of a Yu Yu Hakusho reboot is a crime. Could you imagine the dark tournament with beautiful new animation? The fights would be so sick."  
"Or the original Saiyuki with all the gay undertones..."  
"Ahhhh, Saiyuki. Speaking of which, Isn't it just great when a show turns out even more gay than you had hoped?"  
Tamina was smiling to herself. She lay sprawled across the middle seat of Saburo's van, doing nothing in particular but staring at the ceiling and listening to her friends silly banter from the back. There was a time not long ago when she was standing on the edge of a building, willing herself to gather the strength to throw herself off. There was a time that she was so pained that she really thought that that was the best way. Now, she found herself tied securely to her new friends and responsibilities. Like this city itself breathed new, fresh life into her. The hurt she had once was fleeting, and she could finally say with confidence that she was 'alright.'  
"Hey Tamina," Erika pulled her from her thoughts. "Whatever happened with Shizu-chan? Did you text him?"  
Tamina felt the warmth in her cheeks when Erika asked. She hadn't asked her friend to be discrete, but she kind of wished she had.  
"Shizuo?" Kyohei asked from the front seat. "What's up with that?"  
"Tamina was contemplating sitting on his face." Erika said without any sort of tact.  
"I was not!" Tamina defended, immediately sitting up, completely flustered. "We just talked one day and exchanged numbers." Recalling that day, her face faltered.  
Kyohei took notice, eyeing her through the rear view mirror. "So...?" He pressed.  
Tamina shrugged it off. "So, nothing. He didn't call or text me and vice versa." She didn't want to talk about the situation. If she did, she'd have to mention seeing Izaya, and the group had made their reservations toward him clear. She preferred just not talking about it. "Besides, I heard he can be pretty aggressive."  
"Who told you that?" Kyohei asked. She shrugged in response, to which he immediately defended. "Listen, I don't know what you heard, but Shizuo isn't a bad guy. And he's a Dollar."  
"So if you're a Dollar, you can't be bad?" Tamina asked, arching a brow.  
"I didn't say that. But he's a good one. Trust me. As long as you're a good one."  
"I didn't realize you were that close." Tamina observed.  
Kyohei shrugged. "Well, we both went to Raira. I know he's got a temper, but I also know it's usually provoked by people's bullshit, so don't hold that against him."  
As much as she wanted to entertain the idea, she tried to brush the subject aside. "Regardless, the last thing I need right now is to get involved with someone. I have Mairu and Kururi to be responsible for now."  
Erika waved that off. "Aw, come on. It's not like they're your kids. You can have some fun for yourself."  
"But they're my responsibility. If I got involved with someone, it would just distract me." Tamina asserted.  
"Plenty of nannies out there have gone on dates." Kyohei said.  
"Why are you guys pushing this?" Tamina asked suspiciously.  
Kyohei folded his hands behind his head and rested back against the passenger seat. "I've known Shizuo for a while, and I've always thought a nice girl in his life could level him out."  
Walker suddenly butted into the conversation. "You know how in Samurai X, Tomo becomes a 'sheath' to Kenshin's violence? That could totally be Tamina."  
"Oh yeah!" Erika piped. "What a spot on analogy! You could totally be the Tomo to his Kenshin!"  
"Yeah!" Walker went on. "A mindless wandering assassin, who just needs to feel the warmth and love of a woman to know the value of life..."  
"A cold woman," Erika added. "That just needs to feel needed by someone..."  
"Stop that!" Tamina playfully swatted at her friends.  
The otaku pair avoided her easily but broke out in cackles, thoroughly amused with themselves.

Before Tamina knew it the day had started to wane. She was going to have her friends drop her off at home, but remembered she needed to pick up some beef from the market. She didn't want them waiting around so she sent them on their way and opted to walk home.  
As it typically did on these long walks, her mind started to wander. She particularly contemplated what her friends had said about Shizuo and the day she'd seen him last. It caused her to walk in a daze, placing one foot in front of the other, paying no attention to anything or anyone else around.  
"Hey!" A young man with reddish hair stepped into her path. "I lost my wallet and need cash for the bus." There was a group of men behind him, all leaning over to gawk at her dauntingly.  
Tamina tried to avoid eye contact and pass. "Sorry, I don't have any." She mumbled.  
Her path was obstructed by the young man again. "Hey, hey now. You can't tell me you got groceries with no money. What's up? You don't fucking like charity?"  
"You're dressed pretty nice." Another of the men observed. "You're tellin' us you got no money?"  
Tamina was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She was beginning to come to a realization. 'Am I being robbed?' She started to wonder. She'd been warned of the dangers of this city, but she'd never taken it seriously. She stifled a gasp when she felt one of the men give her skirt a tug. "Do we have to search you?" He asked.  
"Maybe you didn't realize, but you don't say no to the Dollars." Another said.  
'Dollars?' Tamina thought. The same gang she was in? And Kyohei and Shizuo? Mugging a girl in broad daylight? No. That wasn't the Dollars. It couldn't be.  
She didn't know exactly what she should do. Run? Scream? Maybe she'd tell them she was in the Dollars too. She had only just begun to contemplate her options when someones arm extended in front of her protectively. The men recoiled back defensively and gave her some space. The action was so fast, Tamina didn't even notice the familiar switchblade in the person's hand until light reflected off the blade, catching her eye.  
"Hey there!" Izaya mused obnoxiously. "What's going on over here?"  
Despite his usual intrusiveness, Tamina was extremely grateful Izaya had chosen now of all times to show up again. He stood between her and the men that had been hassling her, twirling his knife playfully between his fingers. Was he actually doing something decent? The once cocky men now held a visible tension.  
"Oh! I remember you!" Izaya pointed at their ring leader, the punk with the short reddish hair. "Hiroshi, right? Didn't I nearly scalp you sometime last year?" He asked with a eerie smile. "I see you've upgraded from bullying high school kids to robbing young ladies. Aren't you proving to be a valuable member of society!"  
The red head tried to regain some bravado. "What, is that your girlfriend or something? That just reminds me of how you trashed one of my girlfriends phones..."  
Izaya guffawed. "Girlfriend? Miss Takeda here? No! Not at all! How could I put it..." He thought on his words for a second, scratching his head lightly with his knife. " She's...more like my private beach that I don't like trespassers enjoying. Or a tree I just pissed on..." His tone became darker. "And I don't like other dogs sniffing my tree..." Suddenly he took an aggressive step forward, causing the group to recoil "So let me stop mixing words and make myself clear." He warned. "Put your hands on her again and I'll gut you like a fish." He pointed his knife to accentuate his point. "Got it?"  
The men held their ground for a tense moment, but the red head relented. "Come on," He said to his group. "Let's get out of here before the crazy bar tender shows up too."  
That was all they needed to hear. They disbursed quickly, causing Izaya to have another good laugh. Tamina, though, was anything but amused. She stormed off, hoping to avoid any further words with the arrogant man she was becoming too familiar with for her own taste. To her dismay, she wasn't so lucky, as he began to follow.  
"Hey, hey." She heard him say as he caught up to her pace. "What's the rush?"  
"Has anyone ever told you that you may be a sociopath?" Tamina asked, keeping her eyes forward.  
Izaya let out an amused chuckle. "Well that's a pretty strange way to say 'thank you.' I did just keep you from getting mugged."  
"Thank you." She said reluctantly. "But leave me alone."  
"Why?" He asked innocently.  
She stopped and turned to throw him as unfriendly of a look as she could muster. "Because I'm not your private beach, and I'm not your tree. I'm your nothing."  
He grinned at that. "You're right."  
She waited a moment more, sure he would have something else witty or rude to say, but he didn't. With his silence she turned and started to walk again. After a few paces she peeked over her shoulder to see if he had obeyed, but of course he hadn't, still keeping pace with her. "What are you doing?" She asked irately.  
"I can't make sure you get home safe?" He asked.  
She rolled her eyes. As if he really cared about her well being. She refused to believe that. He was the man that made her nearly kill herself, after all. "Why are you here?" She decided to ask.  
"Actually, I came to see you." He said.  
"Why?" She asked flatly. "I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're worried about."  
He laughed. "Aw, what a shame. That could have been fun. But no, that's not why." He reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope to hand her.  
"What's this?" She asked suspiciously as she took it.  
"Your check." He told her. "Who do you think pays you?"  
Inwardly she groaned as the realization came to her. 'Please no..' she mentally whined. He grinned widely at the pained expression on her face. That was all the answer she needed. It turned out the unstable man she kept trying to distance herself from was now her boss.  
Wordlessly, she started to tear open the envelope. She hadn't asked what her pay grade would be for this position and it hadn't mattered to her before now. But realizing she was becoming tied to Izaya again was going to have to come at a price. She did a double take when she read the amount written on the check.  
"Are you serious?" She choked out.  
"Is there a problem?" He asked, nonchalantly.  
"This is...a lot." She said.  
"To be fair, a portion of that is for groceries." He pointed out.  
Still, 335,000 yen was a gratuitous amount of money for two weeks of work and well beyond what Tamina had expected to be paid. She was about to question further, but stopped herself. She decided to just take the money. She shouldn't have remorse for ripping off someone like him, she justified.  
She tried to regain some composure and appear blasé, continuing on her way. She felt compelled to ask though. "How can you afford this?"  
"I'm an info broker." He said, tucking his hands in his jacket pockets as he walked with her. "You'd be surprised how much people are willing to pay for information."  
"I guess you're good at it?"  
"Would I be able to pay my sisters' glorified baby sitter that much if I wasn't?" He retorted.  
She shot him an irritated look. "Don't sell me short. I keep those two alive. It's a miracle they've survived this long if you've been their sole caretaker. You know Mairu has sai? Real sai. Like, the weapons? I've caught her in full sprint with them. They have zero regard for safety."  
" In those cases you should just let nature take it's course. If she stabs herself in the face it's her own fault." He said plainly.  
"How can you say that?"  
"It's called Darwinism. Survival of the fittest. Or smartest, in this case."  
"No wonder they hate you..." Tamina commented. They came to the apartment building she and the girls shared. "You really came all the way here just to pay me?" She asked as she stood in front the entrance.  
"I did want to have dinner too. I'm starved. I was actually hoping to have some hamburg steak." He said, breathing an exaggerated sigh.  
Tamina didn't buy it though. That is exactly what she was preparing tonight. Exactly what she had shopped for. She eyed him suspiciously. "Have you been watching me?"  
"What do you mean?" He asked innocently.  
She stared him down for a while longer. He did irritate her, and she wasn't quite sure of his motives, but he had done her a solid today. He'd protected her and payed her a ridiculous amount of money on top of that. She felt obligated, so she sighed heavily and asked. "Would you like dinner?"  
"What a kind offer!" Izaya gushed, causing Tamina to already question her words. "Thank you Miss Takeda!"

Inside the apartment, Tamina hoped Izaya would sit quietly on the couch and watch TV or occupy himself in some other way. She had no desire to entertain him. She'd already begun to think she bit off more than she could chew. How on Earth would she explain this to Kururi and Mairu? They had made their feelings about their brother clear. What was the term they had used for him? A twat waffle?  
Again, she wasn't so lucky, as Izaya took any opportunity to invade her space. He leaned against the kitchen door frame as she unbagged things and placed them on the counter. "Have you heard from your mother?" He asked.  
Tamina hadn't expected a question like that. "No." She admitted.  
"That seems strange." He remarked.  
"You don't have to remind me." Tamina said. "She was too worried about her husband's reputation. She's probably too scared to talk to me."  
"But you could be dead for all she knows. You'd think she'd at least text." He went on.  
"Apparently not." She said simply, hoping that would end it.  
It didn't, of course, and Izaya continued. "It's probably just as well, since you were never that close to begin with. In fact, you should feel relieved. I know you always wanted to connect with her, but people watching has taught me that there are people that are just not compatible. Its like a language you've never heard or a corrupt computer file. Hardly anyone's fault."  
"Don't do that." Tamina said sternly.  
"Do what?" He asked.  
"Talk like that." She told him. "I told you those things before I realized you were a crazy person. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't act like you knew everything about my life."  
"But I do." he asserted. "Don't be silly and act like you didn't hand that information over willingly."  
Frustrated, she turned away from him. He had her there. He knew her intimately, but the person she'd given that information to was someone else entirely. Someone she knew as Nakura. Not Izaya Orihara.  
Desperate to change the subject she asked. "What do you mean 'people watching'?"  
"Have you heard of bird watching? Try to use your imagination." He said.  
"I've heard you say things like that before." She pointed out. " Like humans are a completely different species. Do you think you're really different from everyone around you?"  
"I didn't presume that I was anything at all. I simply love humans and human nature. It fascinates me and provokes my every action." He told her. "Do you know what's my favorite thing about humans?" He asked.  
Tamina didn't bother to look up as she placed the beef and spices on the counter. When she turned to look for a knife she was startled when her body collided with his. He'd taken the moment to move uncomfortably close to her. She tried to step back but collided with the counter. He pressed in closer, placing his hands on the counter on either side of her.  
She recoiled a bit, but didn't protest when he leaned in and spoke to her smoothly. "What happens to them when you thrust them into extraordinary circumstances. When you literally throw them into the fire. It shows what they truly are. Not who... What. Are they a monster? A coward? A hero? Or are they something that you never would have guessed?" He cupped her cheek, but still she stayed silent. For the first time in a long time, she found herself really hearing his words. "You can be all pissy with me because I ripped you out of the doldrums you came to love to hate. You can hate me because I pushed you over the edge just to see if you'd fall or fly. And you can loathe the fact that I'm the only person that knows you. All of you. I'm just fine with that. You can't stop me from loving what you turned out to be."  
Tamina was looking deep into his dark eyes. She would never admit it to him, but his words started to make sense. She could finally start to see the crazy, twisted place he was coming from. He was so close... She could feel his breath on her face. She was beginning to feel the urge to lean in. His handsome face was overcoming her senses and she just nearly stood on her tip toes to capture his lips. He seemed to sense that, and started to lean in. But she mentally shook off the feeling and pressed a hand to his chest to give him a gentle push away. He complied, leaning back and giving her just a step of space. "What." Tamina said, eyeing him. "Not who."  
A devious smile came too quickly to his face for Tamina's comfort. "You're starting to get it." He said.  
They held a stare for a long moment. She knew he was complex, but she was just starting to understand the scope of his madness. And when she stepped outside the box and looked at it, in a certain light, maybe it wasn't so mad after all...  
She reached to the cutlery set on the counter and pulled out a knife. He didn't recoil or become defensive, but his eyes watched her movements closely now. She then grabbed an onion. Silently she offered both to him. He stared, unsure what the gesture could mean. "What's this? A present?"  
"Can you chop it?" She asked. He watched her a while after, as if she'd say something more or make a point. Instead she just arched a brow. "Well?"  
"Why would you want me to do that?"  
"Because I have to make dinner and apparently you'll be partaking. Its the least you can do." She said simply, pressing them into his hands to take. Then she proceeded to start preparing the beef. Izaya remained perplexed. "Did you expect that?" She asked.  
"I can't say that I did." He admitted, looking over the onions flaking skin and large dicing knife.  
"Isn't that what you like? The unexpected?" She said smuggly.  
His face became amused. She was more complex than he'd originally given her credit for too. It's why she became someone he watched regularly. Someone he found himself increasingly interested in, despite himself. Sure, most of the time she seemed like an uptight little bitch. But that's what he loved. He loved controlled chaos. Hostility. The nitty gritty. The unexpected. She was like a new toy he just didn't want to put down. But he didn't just like to play with his toys. He liked to pick them apart to see what made them tick.

"Mina! We're home!" Mairu called as she burst into the apartment. "Oh wow! It smells amazing in here!" She removed her shoes and inhaled deeply to take in the heavy aroma of dinner that hung in the air.  
Tamina was setting up their small table. "Hey you two. How was your day?" She asked.  
"Boring." Kururi said quietly, mirroring her sisters movements and following behind her.  
Tamina shrugged and mumbled to herself, placing the extra table setting. "Well, I'm sure that'll change in two seconds..." The girls took notice and were about to ask who their company was. That's when Izaya peaked out of the kitchen. A silence filled the room. Tamina watched them stare each other down, wondering who would speak first. She felt the tension sky rocket but remained silent, hoping they'd eventually have words for each other. There were no words though. Mairu took a martial arts stance, preparing to attack. In response Izaya immediately became defensive, ready for her next move. Kururi too started to rifle through her pockets for some sort of means to attack her brother.  
"Stop!" Tamina shouted before things could escalate, causing everyone to freeze. The girls wore toxic expressions, the likes of which Tamina had never seen on them before. But they obeyed, halting their movements. Izaya remained as well, still ready for any movement on their end.  
"Why is he here?" Mairu asked, still frozen in attack mode.  
"He brought me my payment and he's staying for dinner." Tamina told them as she moved between the twins and their brother, hands raised to quell them.  
"What?" They both questioned simultaneously, disgust in their voices.  
"You heard me." Tamina said. "And since he's the one paying to keep me here, I think you two should calm down." At that they both eased up a bit. Still incredibly unhappy, but both adopted a more neutral position. This caused Izaya to let up his defenses as well. "Now," Tamina went on. "Wash up and change. Dinner is ready."  
They weren't pleased. Not at all. Tamina knew that by the way they scoffed and shuffled out of the room. She was lucky they heeded her so well, or this place might have turned into a war zone.  
"Very impressive!" Izaya mused. "You've really got a handle on those feral things. You were like a lion tamer at a circus."  
Tamina pushed passed him to get into the kitchen. "Help me set up."  
Dinner itself wasn't any less awkward. Everyone ate, but remained silent. The girls venomous stares at their brother didn't make it any easier. Izaya, however, seemed indifferent. Infact, Tamina suspected he enjoyed it. She wondered if someone would say something and break the tension that hung heavy over them but neither side did. As if they weren't family at all. As if they were mortal enemies.  
Once it seemed like everyone was done Tamina began to clear the small table. The girls watched her expectantly, as if waiting for her to make Izaya leave right then and there. Tamina didn't quite know what they expected of her though. Did they want her to just throw him out? She knew if she asked the answer would be 'yes', so instead asked. "Do you have any homework?"  
"No." They both said without hesitation.  
"Then why don't you go study?" Tamina asked, hinting they should just go in their room until he was gone.  
"For what?" They both said flatly.  
It was eerie to Tamina. How they could be on the same wave length sometimes. Still she pressed. "I don't know, but I'm sure you'll find something." When they still didn't move she became more stern. "Go." She said, pointing toward their room.  
They looked like they wanted to protest. Tamina hated being this way with them, but no good would come of them staring daggers at their brother for the rest of the night. Irate and frustrated, they gave in and stomped to their room, carelessly tossing the door shut behind them. Tamina flinched when it slammed shut. She hoped this wouldn't change her relationship with them, but she couldn't risk them finding a weapon and stabbing Izaya when her guard was down.  
"You're actually really good with them." Izaya remarked, having a seat on the couch.  
Tamina sighed and finished wiping down the table. "They'll probably hate me after this, so thanks."  
"No," He assured her. "They're like goldfish, They'll forget all about this soon. Trust me. I basically raised them." He patted the couch next to him, gesturing her to come sit. She hesitated, but eventually decided to come sit down next to him. "Dinner was amazing." He added unexpectedly.  
It took her by surprise. She never expected he'd compliment her. "Thank you."  
"I didn't know you could cook." He said.  
"I told you that plenty of times." She insisted, recalling their many phone and text conversations.  
"Well," He shrugged. "You never know with someone online. They could be lying."  
"Not everyone is like you." She retorted.  
He took no offense though. Just grinned. "I'd hope not." Is all he said to that.  
She tensed slightly when she felt his fingers play with the tips of her hair that met her lower back. He flicked and teased them, fingers grazing her back when he did. She wouldn't admit it to him, but the tickling sensation felt good. She allowed it for now. "I didn't lie about anything." She found herself saying.  
"I know." He said in a tone she hadn't heard from him in a long time. A way he would have used his words back when they had distance conversations. Before her views of him had been so jaded. A strange feeling was starting to come over her. She missed it. The way he used to talk to her. The way she used to see him. It was weird. She'd told herself that person didn't exist, but she still craved that presence. That voice. Those feelings.  
"You should come to my place and cook for me one night." He told her, his hand becoming more bold, fingers pressing into the small of her back to apply some pressure and rub there.  
She knew she should, but still she found herself not protesting his touch. It felt so nice. "No, I shouldn't." She declined.  
"Why not?" He asked.  
"Because I know what would happen." Tamina said, even now feeling herself becoming turned on, despite every instinct inside her. A warmth was spreading through her body.  
"And what would happen?" He egged her on, continuing to massage her with his fingers.  
Before the heat could spread further she willed herself to lean away and out of his reach. She turned and look at him. "We need to keep things professional." Tamina told him, but it felt like she was really trying to convince herself.  
He smirked at that and leaned in. "Well doesn't that just make it hotter?" He asked. He didn't allow her the time to think. Just cupped her face and caught her mouth with his.  
She knew she should resist his hot kiss. He'd done her so wrong. He'd made her question her life itself. But was the life she had before a life at all? Would she have questioned it herself without him? Where would she be without those late night conversations and morning texts and emails? Where would those festering thoughts have gone if he hadn't dug them out of her and released them? How much better off would she have been if he hadn't forced her to face the reality of her circumstances? Was he really the monster she thought he was? Or was he the only thing in her life that had been truly real?  
There was a chain of thoughts spinning in her head. They began to cloud her judgment, and allowed him the opportunity he needed. He kissed her faster, coaxing her to meet his pace. She did, tongue dancing with his, making it even hotter. He pressed into her, making her lay back against the couch. Their lips never parted as he came to hover over her, settling between her straddled legs. Their make out became heavy, her arms snaking around his neck. When they parted she breathed a hard breath as his mouth traveled down her neck. She bit her lip and craned her neck to one side. It felt so good, but she had to protest. "Don't leave marks..." She murmured. The last time they'd been like this he'd left hickies that had lasted for days.  
She felt him breathe a laugh into the croak of her neck. "That's no fun." He replied. "Where's your room?" He asked.  
Her head rolled on the couch. She'd told herself that their last erotic encounter was wine induced. Just her drunken, horny self getting too carried away. But she couldn't defend herself now. Couldn't defend the intensity he provoked. The ache inside her that she found herself inviting him in to quench once again. She'd told herself never again, but here the moment was and she found herself powerless to stop it. It had already come too far now. She craved him so deeply that any sense was fleeting and want gave way to an urgent need.  
Tamina was just about to tell him where he'd find her room and, more importantly, bed, when something in her peripheral caught her eye. Suddenly, without warning, Izaya jerked away from her. It was in that same motion that Mairu's leg swung across the couch, clearing Tamina's face, but swiping toward her brothers in a vicious kick. It happened so fast that Tamina could barely process it. She still lay, pressed into the couch while Izaya reacted much quicker. He avoided the kick easily, jumping off the couch and a safe distance back.  
"I don't get to kiss her but you get to put your dirty mouth all over her!? That's not fair!" Mairu shouted, preparing for another attack.  
Izaya was ready for it. What he wasn't ready for was the sudden burst of pepper spray that came from his side from Kururi. He very narrowly avoided that as well, hand flying to his face to cover his mouth and nose. "Get out." Kururi ordered in her monotonous tone, mercilessly spraying the mace all over his direction.  
When Tamina finally processed what was happening, she sat up quickly. "Girls! Stop!" She shouted. She got a wif of the spice in the air filling the apartment and coughed. "Kururi! Mairu! Enough!" She hid her face protectively in one of the couch pillows.  
Outnumbered in the small space, and fumes filling the air, Izaya had no choice but to make a bee line for the door and hastily show himself out. Once he was out, Kururi locked the door behind him. Both girls came to the couch to confront their caretaker. Tamina could feel the tension as the girls stared her down.  
"Okay..." She admitted, trying to straighten her shirt and somewhat flatten her hair. Once somewhat composed again, she held up her hands defensively. "I know this looks bad."  
Izaya had managed to slip under her skin again. He was like a virus. Moving silently, but infecting cell after cell with his essence. Spreading a sickness through her. She couldn't make sense of it. But of one thing she was completely sure. He held a dangerous power over her. And anyone with any sense in them would purge themselves of such questionable energy in their life, however, she found herself powerless in his presence.


	6. A Real Dollar

The twins stared Tamina down. After catching their brother assaulting their nanny with his mouth and promptly escorting him the hell out of their apartment, they were now left with the task of making sense of this awkward situation. The silence in the room was drawn out and tense. They wore unreadable expressions as they pondered, which began to panic Tamina. "Am I fired?" She asked, wincing in anticipation of their response.  
Kururi and Mairu shared a look then a sigh. To Tamina's complete surprise they came to sit on either side of her on the couch. "You're not fired." Kururi's voice came quietly.  
"Izaya is the master of manipulation and the king of corruption." Mairu said. "We're sure whatever just happened wasn't your fault."  
Tamina let out an audible breath of relief. She was worried this little incident would ruin the nice thing she had going here. She hated the idea of the girls being untrusting or suspicious of her.  
"But," Kururi added. "You should tell us what exactly did happen."  
Tamina knew she had to be honest with them. "When I said I knew your brother before... We were kind of...involved... Briefly...Very briefly..." She fumbled over her words.  
"You fucked." Mairu concluded bluntly.  
Tamina cringed at that, but accepted. It wasn't as if she needed to dance around things with these two. "Yes. We did. Once." She clarified. "It was a mistake then, and it would have been a mistake tonight. So thank you both for bringing me back to my senses."  
"So why did it happen?" Kururi asked.  
Tamina contemplated. "I don't know. He's always had this awful ability to captivate me. It used to be something that I loved. I used to think it was chemistry. He showed me his true colors and that should have been the end of it. Trust me, I'm under no delusions. I know he's rotting inside." She pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, trying to relieve some of her tension. "He just gets so deep into my head. My view of him changes with every encounter. Every time I see him I feel like I find a different layer of him, and it's becoming hard for me to tell if he's been taking me closer to or farther from the things I really want. I'm sorry. I wish I had a better answer for you."  
The girls seemed to share a look of concern. "Listen Mina..." Mairu started to say,  
"You don't have to say it, I know." Tamina interrupted her. "I know what you're going to say. 'He's just using you.' or 'he doesn't have feelings for you.' or 'he'll never love you.' Trust me, all of those things are obvious to me. I should just suck him out of my life like venom, but he is my 'boss' which kind of complicates things..."  
"Actually," Mairu said. "That's not what I was going to say. Look, all of those things are the best case scenario. Izaya just wanting to use you is all you should hope this is."  
Tamina looked to Mairu curiously. "What do you mean?"  
"Don't try to read him. Don't try to make sense of him. The fact that you are trying already makes you different from every one else." Mairu went on. "You're on his radar. You can tell by the way he looks at you."  
"He looks at everyone. He 'people watches.'" Tamina said. "That's what he does."  
"That may be true, but we've never seen him with his tongue halfway down someone's throat, so give yourself a little credit." Mairu retorted.  
"We grew up with him" Kururi confirmed. "This is out of the ordinary, even for him."  
"It's bad news, so just trust us and stay away. Whatever he's doing, whether he really likes you or not, it won't end well." Mairu implored her.  
Tamina gave a heavy sigh. "I know." She admitted.  
As if on the same frequency or sharing some kind of unspoken acknowledgment, the twins leaned over and rested their heads on Tamina's shoulders. Tamina smiled softly and looped her arms around to hug them both. They in turn nuzzled into her embrace affectionately. She had never been one for such affection. Growing up with a stand offish mother and no siblings, she hadn't developed a comfort with platonic touching or embracing. It had always felt strange and awkward to her, to hug or hold someone like this. But the way they all embraced in that moment didn't feel strange or awkward to her at all. It felt right. It felt like a love she'd always needed. It felt like...family.

 

A few weeks passed without incident. Tamina's payments showed up in their mailbox, which was completely fine with her. She wasn't eager to see the info broker again any time soon. She heeded the girls words and knew she couldn't trust him, but more importantly, she refused to trust herself with him anymore. His absence was the best thing for her she realized.  
She locked the apartment behind her and made her way downstairs where her friends were waiting to pick her up. The familiar van sat idling in front of the building. She smiled to herself every time she saw the ridiculous lolita graphic on the door. She grabbed the handle to slide it open and took her usual place in the middle row of seats. "Good morning." She greeted everyone.  
"Sup" Kyohei greeted her from the front.  
"Hey." Saburo acknowledged.  
"Morning!" Erika and Walker chimed, all the way in the back.  
"Can we stop and grab coffee?" Tamina asked.  
"Way ahead of ya." Saburo replied, grabbing the coffee they'd gotten for her from the cup holder and passing it back. "Got the mocha and raspberry flavors in it like you like."  
Tamina took it eagerly. "I love you guys..." She said with a broad smile. They really were the best.  
They got on their way and Erika and Walker resumed their usual chatter. "If I was in a MMORPG like SAO my character would definitely be a ronin type with pyrotechnic abilities. Like a flaming sword or a fire dragon attack. No! A flaming fire dragon sword!"  
"I think I'd be a half demon that looks like a human. My armor would be geisha style and I could use my sex appeal to seduce dumb traders. Then I'd rip their heads off and feast on them like a praying mantis queen. I'd farm so much loot that way..."  
"What about you Tamina?" Walker asked.  
Tamina sipped her coffee. "I don't know. I think I'd be happy being a normal human type as long as I had a cute demon companion to protect me and ride on.. Like a giant wolf or nekomata or something.."  
"Oh! Like Kirara in Inuyasha! That's a good one." Erika agreed.  
The pair in the back continued on. Suddenly Tamina was reminded of something. "Hey, I have a question about the Dollars."  
"What's up?" Kyohei asked.  
"Well," She tried to be nonchalant. "I heard some guys from the Dollars tried to mug a girl around here a couple weeks ago."  
"Where'd you hear that?" Kyohei eyed her suspiciously in the rear view mirror. With her hesitation he pushed. "Did this 'girl' happen to be you?"  
"Wouldn't I say that if it was?" Tamina retorted, hoping he'd buy her poker face.  
"Just tell us if we have to go fuck somebody up." Saburo said.  
"We're getting off topic." She tried to regain the matter at hand. "We're talking about the Dollars, not me."  
"Listen, whoever those D bags were that tried to mug," He made air quotations. " 'this girl', they weren't Dollars." Kyohei dismissed.  
"How do you know?" She asked.  
"Because that's not who the Dollars are." He said simply.  
"You can't know that, Kyohei." She told him.  
"Then how about this, the next time," Saburo also made air quotations to belabor their point. "'this girl' sees those guys, 'she' points them out so we can run them the fuck over. Problem solved." He said.  
Tamina sighed, preferring not to provoke them more. She should have known this wouldn't turn out well with their protective nature. "How about we just forget I said anything."  
Erika suddenly burst into their conversation, picking right back up on their early avatar conversation. "What about a dragon that turns into a jeep like Hakuryuu?! That would be a great mount for you Tamina!"  
Tamina was happy for the subject change. "That one!" She replied to Erika. "Definitely that one."

 

The next place the group went was a manga shop in East Ikebukuro. The short list of light novels Erika and Walker had rattled off didn't particularly interest Tamina, so she opted to wait in the van with Saburo and Kyohei. Saburo was reading a magazine article on Ruri Hijiribe's work in Vampire Ninja Karmilla Saizo and Kyohei scanned through posts and videos on his phone. Tamina was content for the time being pressed against the window, watching the bustling of the city. There was such an assortment of people occupying the streets. Fashionistas and high school kids. Yakuza and families. Businessmen and tourists. Each one she imagined had a story. A place they were going to or coming from. A life they loved or loathed. She wondered what the slightest influence could do to one of those lives. The slightest push in one direction or another. She started to wonder to herself if this was what Izaya had been talking about when he'd mentioned 'people watching.'  
"Did you guys hear about this?" Kyohei asked the two, pulling his ear buds out of his ears and gesturing with his phone.  
Tamina and Saburo leaned over to watch the video playing on Kyohei's phone. When he pulled out the cord for his headphones the volume played. "-were blocked off for hours due to police activity, causing heavy delays in the area. Little details are available as of now, but the case has been ruled a homicide. The victims are yet unidentified but a source says this could be due to the brutality of this incident. Police have not released any official statements on the nature of the assault or suspect details, but several witnesses have asserted that a masked assailant was seen fleeing the scene in what appeared to be a wolf man costume. We'll have more information on this grisly incident as soon as it becomes available."  
"Damn," Saburo said. "Maybe it's another slasher thing."  
"Nah," Kyohei said right away. "This seems different."  
"What's the slasher thing?" Tamina asked.  
Saburo and Kyohei shared a look. "Nothing" They both said.  
Tamina was immediately about to question them further, but when she glanced back out the window she noticed a a familiar face walking among the crowded street. He'd catch her eye anywhere. His tall lean form. His dark eyes and hair. That 'ever so pleased with himself' face that he wore. It was the first time she'd seen Izaya since their heated exchange in her apartment had been cut short. She planned to just silently watch, but his eyes suddenly met hers, as if he knew she'd been there all along. Their gazes locked for a short while, the smug expression on his face only becoming broader. He nodded his head, as if gesturing her to follow him, then he disappeared into the crowd just as quickly as he'd come.  
Tamina thought on it hard, but finally relented, despite all her common sense. Maybe he had something of importance to say for once. Maybe she was just making more excuses for him. Regardless. "I'll be right back." Tamina blurted, pulling open the vans sliding door.  
"Um, I'm sorry, did we not just listen to a news bulletin about a killer wolf man running wild in this city?" Saburo asked with a displeased expression.  
Tamina snatched her bag off the seat and tossed it over her shoulder. "I'll be fine."  
Saburo was about to protest more but Kyohei waved him off. "Let her go. She's a big girl. Just call us if you need us."  
Tamina forced a smile and gave a wave, sliding the door shut and taking off after Izaya. She felt mildly guilty, but justified that she wasn't necessarily lying to her friends. Just avoiding a lecture from them. She rounded the corner and scanned the crowd while she walked. She squinted and stood on her tip toes to look over shoulders. When she'd traveled some distance she finally stopped. She started to think he might be too far gone and this was a waste of time.  
"You suck at following people." Izaya's voice came from behind her.  
She turned, unsure how she could have possibly passed him without seeing him. "I guess I haven't developed the comfort you have with it." She approached him. "Where have you been?"  
"What makes you think I've been somewhere?" He asked, starting to walk again.  
"Because I haven't seen you around." She commented, walking with him.  
"That could be because you also suck at noticing when you're being followed." He retorted.  
"You know, you should write a book called 'Things a Crazy Person Says.'" She said, shrugging off his creepy comment.  
"You're out here following 'crazy people' so what does that make you?" He didn't give her time to answer his rhetorical question. "Don't flatter yourself too much, Miss Takeda. I do have more important things to do in this city from time to time. And much more important people to see." He said smugly.  
"Oh, more important?" Tamina asked.  
"Mhm." He nodded. "More interesting too. For example, there's a woman in a park around here that screams at birds and smokes cigarette butts she picks up off the ground."  
Tamina rolled her eyes. "Right, that does sound incredibly exciting. I don't see how more people don't share this hobby of yours." She said sarcastically.  
A smirk took his face. "That reminds me, I did want to talk to you about something."  
"Okay, what?" She humored him.  
"I don't have time right now. I'm meeting someone."  
Tamina arched a brow. "Would it be one of those 'more important' people?" She wasn't sure why that displeased her.  
"In fact, it is." He said a little too quickly. "But don't get your lace little panties in a twist. It's a client. Mr. Shiki of the Awakusu's."  
"Awakusu? Like Yakuza?" Tamina asked, recognizing the name.  
"That's right. Believe it or not organized crime syndicates have need for an informant every now and then."  
She nodded. That certainly made sense. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what work as an 'info broker' would entail before now, but it was obvious his means of income were dangerous and not entirely honest. Just like him.  
"But I'll talk to you about that other thing at a later time. Maybe when I take you out to dinner." He finally said.  
Tamina sighed, but didn't find herself firmly opposed to that. "That doesn't sound like a good idea at all." She admitted, though not entirely dismissing the idea.  
"Well I'm personally a big fan of your more questionable decisions." He said smugly.  
"Maybe." She allowed with a smirk.  
"By the way, I meant what I said earlier." He added suddenly.  
"Which part?" She asked.  
"The part about you sucking at noticing when you're being followed."  
When he'd said it earlier she had thought he'd meant in the cases of him following her. Only now did she start to look around, wondering if they were being followed in this very moment. Her pace slowed as she looked about, realizing she'd walked much farther with him down the blocks than she'd meant to. He'd distracted her and lead her a ways away from her friends and her bearing on her location was a bit shaken. Izaya's pace didn't slow at all though. In fact, it picked up. "I'm afraid I don't have any more time for you today Miss Takeda!." He said over his shoulder. "Oh! And I probably won't be answering my phone for a while so any calls you might make to me in the immediate future will likely get forwarded. Have a good evening!" He waved  
Tamina blinked at his haste. She stopped trying to keep pace with him and watched him leave with a confused tilt of the head. What the hell was he doing? And why had he been so specific about his availability? She tried to shrug it off. He was such a weirdo. She turned to leave back the way she came.  
"Hey there! Remember us?" Her heart sank when the familiar, red headed punk came to stand in front of her. "Where'd your boyfriend go?"  
Tamina looked around, trying to mask her frantic movements. He was gone. After hinting they were being pursued he had the audacity to take off. She wasn't sure why she was surprised. This was Izaya after all. Had she really expected more of him? Had she really been silly enough to think things might be becoming different?  
Her eyes narrowed as she summed up her courage and faced the man. "He'll be back any second." She half bluffed. She still held a small hope he'd come back and assist her as he'd done before.  
"Is that right?" Hiroshi said, as his gang of delinquents assembled behind him, carrying various blunt objects. One had a baseball bat hung over his shoulder. Another pat his hand over and over with what looked like a crowbar. "He's not going to take us by surprise today. This has been a long time coming."  
Tamina's nerves began to flare. Still, she willed herself to be brave. "I'll call him." She warned.  
"Oh, please do!" He called her on it.  
The group watched, ready to stay right here and wait for a chance to settle the score with the switchblade wielding psycho. They were even lucky enough to stumble upon his main squeeze, and weren't above using her to lure him out.  
Unsure of what else to do, Tamina reached into her bag and fumbled around for her phone. Once she located it she pulled it out and quickly pulled up Izaya's number in her contacts. She sent the call and pressed the phone to her ear. Her heart was becoming unsteady. He couldn't have gone far. Maybe he'd come back... The line just rang and rang.  
"We're sorry! The number you're trying to reac-"  
Tamina quickly ended the call when the voicemail started to play and redialed. 'Come on you bastard.' She was thinking. 'Don't do this to me now...' She mentally begged. This time the line only rang once before the call was forwarded. He had told her that this would happen explicitly, she recalled with bitterness.  
"We're Sorry! The number-" The voicemail started to play again.  
"Well?" Hiroshi asked, beginning to become impatient.  
After one more unsuccessful try Tamina tapped the 'end' button on her phone. Her mind raced. She weighed all the possible options for her predicament. She finally came to settle on what she believed to be the best solution. "He said..." She started, then suddenly turned and took off running as fast as she could.  
"HEY!" She heard them shout and begin chasing her.  
She bobbed and weaved through people, darting down the sidewalk. She heard people gasp in surprise and shriek as her pursuers pushed and shoved through them. She had hoped they'd let her go once she took off but it didn't appear she would be so lucky. They were headed in the opposite direction than she'd come, so there wasn't much hope of running into her friends. That's when she started to think. Maybe she didn't need Kyohei and his group. Maybe she had other allies that were close.  
"Dollars!" She started to shout as she ran down the busy Ikebukuro street. "Anyone! Dollars! Dollars!" She kept yelling, waiting for someone, anyone, to respond or notice.  
A young man in an apron standing outside a deli looked up from sweeping the sidewalk and stared at the girl sprinting toward him. Unsure of what else to say he pointed to himself and said "Uh, Dollar!" Indicating himself.  
At the sight of him, Tamina shouted. "I'm a Dollar too! Help!"  
The young man then noticed the men chasing her, still shoving their way through other pedestrians down the street. Recognizing the need and urgency of the situation, he gestures her to follow him. "Come on!" He lead her inside the deli where he worked. Tamina followed when he guided her behind the counter and through the kitchen to a back door. "Run!" He told her as he shoved the heavy door open, leading her to a long alley that ran between the buildings.  
"Thank you so much!" She shouted as she ran through the door he held for her and sprinted down the alley way. She knew deep down that Kyohei had to be right on some level. If you were a Dollar, a real Dollar, you had to look out for your own. Maybe that was one of the basics of gang etiquette. She was rather new at this so she allowed herself some surprises.

 

"You feeling better?" Tom asked Shizuo as he approached their table with his food tray.  
"Yeah, sorry." Shizuo apologized, coming to sit and set his meal down. "I was just getting that feeling I get when that damn flea is around and it had me on edge." He sipped his drink, nerves still settling from the inkling he'd had just a short while ago.  
"Flea?" Tom began to question. "Oh, you mean that info broker from Shinjuku you're always trying to kill." He realized.  
"That's the one." Shizuo confirmed, beginning to dig in to his meal.  
"Well, this next one has a family, so try to dial it back a bit, alright?" Tom told him.  
"Got it." Shizuo said, between chews of his burger.  
"Man, it's such a pain how some of these guys hide behind their families." Tom sighed, ashing his cigarette in the ashtray on their table. "If they were such 'family men' they wouldn't go gambling all their money away."  
"Right." Shizuo agreed.  
"We've only got two more after that, so we'll be done at a decent time. Early night." Tom went on.  
Shizuo took a sip of his drink. "I gotta pick up smokes before the next one."  
Tom nodded. He was about to say something else when something outside the big window they sat next to caught his eye. "That doesn't look good."  
Shizuo took another big bite out of his burger then followed Toms gaze. He immediately recognized the pastel haired girl across the street. "That's Tamina." He said, mouth still full.  
"She's cute. You know her?" Tom asked.  
"Kind of." He said.  
"Well, she looks like she's in a bind." Tom observed.  
Shizuo swallowed his food so he could give his full attention. He noticed a group of four guys standing over her gawking while she nervously made phone calls. He didn't like how it looked. Not at all. His appetite was suddenly gone as he stood from the table. "I'm gonna go make sure she's okay." He told Tom, picking up his tray.  
Tom nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. I'll be right out."  
With that Shizuo tossed his tray and hurried outside. Not quick enough apparently, as she was gone by the time he pushed through the large glass door. The group of men were gone too. His eyes became tight as he scanned up and down the street for the girl. He could feel his blood starting to boil and he began down the street looking for any sign of her.

 

Tamina panted as she sprinted down the alley ways, ducking and turning at every corner. When she finally felt she may have put some distance between herself and the group, she slowed and pulled her phone out. With shaky hands she tapped away at her screen, calling her friends.  
"Hey." Kyohei answered promptly.  
"I need help!" Tamina managed to say between breaths.  
"What's going on?" Kyohei's tone became more urgent.  
"I'm being chased!"  
"Where are you?" He asked.  
"I don't know!" She panicked. "I never know where I fucking am in this city!"  
"Just stay calm!" Kyohei told her. "We're coming to find you. Just tell me what you're close to! Anything!"  
"I was by a burger place. I ran through a Deli. A kid from the Dollars helped me. I was-!" Tamina yelped when she collided with someone. Her phone flew out of her hand and skipped across the pavement.  
One of Hiroshi's thugs, the man she'd collided with quickly grabbed her and tightly restrained her. She was about to scream but his hand roughly covered her mouth. Their red headed ring leader laughed as he came upon them with the rest. He began to stomp Tamina's phone into the pavement. "This is what that fucker gets!" He shouted, smashing her phone into pieces.  
Tamina watched, eyes wide with fear as he destroyed her phone. She tried to fight with all her strength but she was just too much smaller than the man restraining her. She was easily overwhelmed, and greatly outnumbered. Her heart throbbed in her chest.  
"So," The man began, gesturing to the rest. Two in the group grabbed Tamina by each arm and pushed her back so she was pressed against the brick wall of the building behind her. "Where's your boyfriend now?" He asked as he came to stand in front of her. Tamina gasped when she felt his hand touch her thigh and start traveling up. "Does he touch you like that?" He asked her. "Come on. Show us what your boyfriend does." He told her. She struggled against the two that restrained her but they were just too strong. He came close to her. She averted her face but he was so close she could feel his breathe on her neck. She started to panic.  
Where was he? He'd shown up before. He'd kept her safe before. Why wasn't he here now? Why would he let this happen to her. 'Izaya...' She mentally begged for him to come to her rescue.  
"Hey!" A new voice erupted down the alley.  
Everyone including Tamina was visibly startled, but the men cringed. As veterans of Ikebukuro, they immediately recognized the imminent threat. Tamina had to look to be sure though. A wave of relief washed over her when she saw the tall blonde, staring the group down. She knew the look when she saw it. She'd seen it before. His eyes were fixed and narrow behind his blue glasses, and his jaw was tight. It was the look of fury.  
The group released her and tried to disperse quicker than Tamina could have imagined, but Shizuo descended on them like an ungodly storm. He started by picking the red head, Hiroshi, up and throwing him directly into another. The way they bounced down the alley seemed unnatural. Like a stone skipping across a lake. Another man took a swing, connecting with Shizuo's cheek. He barely recoiled though, grabbing the man by the face and thrusting him forcefully into the brick wall behind him. The largest one among them jumped onto Shizuo's back, attempting to restrain him. Shizuo in return effortlessly threw him into a nearby trash can, causing debris and dust to fly everywhere. Tamina could do little but hold her hands protectively over her ears in the commotion. Shizuo's display of immense power yet again left her speechless. Despite being outnumbered, he threw every one of them a beating they wouldn't soon forget.  
Eventually, each man ran like hell, making their escape down the alley, fumbling and tripping as they did. Shizuo stood, fists still clenched, unsure whether to pursue the cowards or not. He heaved heavy breaths. Tamina wasn't sure if he was catching his breath from the fight or just trying to calm himself down from blind rage. She decided to remain quiet until his adrenaline tapered off.  
It was at that very moment, that some of the blunt objects that they'd carried and debris that Shizuo had shot into the atmosphere over Ikebukro descended back over them. A sizable piece of wood fell from the sky and collided with Tamina's head, immediately taking her consciousness. Her body rag dolled beneath her and she collapsed to the ground without even knowing she'd been struck. Shizuo immediately tensed at the snapping sound that resounded down the alley, followed by a soft thud. It was only then that the switch turned off, and he felt the haze of anger leaving him. It was replaced by another familiar feeling... Regret.  
'Damn it.' He thought to himself, his eyes finding Tamina's unconscious form lying on the ground. 'I screwed up...'


	7. Shooter

Tamina's eyelids started to flutter open. It was a strange sensation for her. As if she'd just woken from a long dream. Her memory of where she was and how she'd gotten there was hazy. When her vision finally came back to her she stared up at an ominous gray sky. She felt the taps of a soft drizzle starting to hit her face which spiked her attention all the more. She started to move in an attempt to lift herself off the cold ground but someone firmly held her.  
"Hey! Are you alright?" Shizuo asked anxiously. He ignored the growing taps of rain on his head as he held her securely against him. He swiped away the moisture on her face pushing damp wisps of hair that clung to it to the side.  
Her dazed eyes still wandered and she was having trouble finding words. She wanted to ask him where she was. She wanted to ask how she had gotten here. But her thoughts were scattered and speech still escaped her at the moment.  
"Talk to me." Shizuo said in a pleading tone. He wasn't sure how much more uncertainty he could take. "Are you okay?"  
She tried to look around to gain some focus, but there was a splitting ache in her head that interrupted everything. Dizziness and disorientation gripped her. Her surroundings just wouldn't stay steady. "My head..." She finally managed to say, reaching for the throbbing area of her crown.  
Shizuo halted her movement. "Don't try to move. Let me see." He insisted. He held her securely in one arm and used his free hand to delicately part her hair where she'd indicated. A sinking feeling came over him when he noticed a deep red soaking the roots of her hair there. Upon further careful examination he stifled a gasp. She had a rather lengthy split in her scalp. He couldn't tell how deep, but he knew it certainly demanded immediate attention.  
"Am I okay?" Tamina asked softly, resting her eyes to ease her dizziness.  
Shizuo hesitated. It looked pretty serious to him, but he didn't want to scare her. "You're...hurt." He admitted, unbuttoning his vest and shimmying out of it. "But it's okay. I'm gonna get you help." He bundled it up and placed it on the wound carefully. Thankfully she wasn't bleeding too excessively, but he wanted to prevent any more.  
"Do...I need a hospital?" She huffed, finally gaining enough sense to be somewhat worried for herself.  
"I have a friend that's close." He told her, bringing his phone to his ear. "It'll be faster."  
Everything was still a blur. There was urgency, she knew, but the fog of dizziness and fatigue made everything sluggish and delayed. Again, she tried to pull away and steady herself, pressing a hand against him. The pattering of rain all around them seemed to amplify the throbbing in her brain. The long narrow alley they occupied tilted, as if it were a vessel on the rough sea. Her vision panned up and the tall buildings yielded her no more forgiving aesthetics. Everything was warped. Distorted. Shifting.  
"Tamina, please stay still." Shizio begged, pinning his phone to his ear with his shoulder to free his hands. He pulled her back against him while his phone dialed out again and again.  
She felt a mild relief, resting her head back on his shoulder. Her vision fell to the ground, where she found her smashed phone in the concrete. The glass was shattered and the frame was clearly damaged, but she could see the small slip of paper peeking out of the phone's now obsolete protective case. She reached for it, but her movements were again halted by Shizuo's strong grip. She wanted to protest. Her lips parted, but the world shifted around her again, causing another wave of nausea to come to pass.  
'Answer your fucking phone!' Shizuo thought, his brow tight and nervous. He looked down to see Tamina's weak hand reaching for what looked like her completely destroyed cell phone on the ground. "I got it." He assured her to ease her effort, grabbing the annihilated phone and shoving it in his pocket.

 

Shinra opened the door expectantly and allowed Shizuo to enter the apartment. The girl he carried was conscious but very pale, loosely holding Shizuo's balled up vest to her head. Shizuo rushed down the hall and into the living room so he could place her on the couch. Shinra had already set towels down to cover the couch in case there was a lot of bleeding. He hadn't gotten much information from Shizuo's rushed phone call, but he had heard someone had been struck in the head, so he'd prepared dressings and supplies for possible penetrating injuries and blunt trauma.  
Tamina slumped against the back of the couch while the room spun around her. "Can I..." She started weakly. "Can I have some water?" She asked. She felt unbearably dehydrated and hot. She hoped it might relieve the churning in her stomach. There was a heavy feeling that was beginning to creep up her chest.  
"I'll get you water in a second." Shizuo assured, still holding her shoulder. "Right now let's get you checked out." He insisted, more concerned about her most obvious injury.  
Shinra came to kneel in front of her with his bag. "Nice to meet you, I'm doctor Kishitani." He told her with a warm smile. "You're Kyohei's friend, right?" He asked.  
Suddenly Tamina felt her mouth becoming overly salivated, and an urgency building in her throat. The dizziness had finally become too much and she needed relief. Now. She tried to stand but Shizuo's strong hands stopped her again. "Don't get up!" He told her.  
Tamina shook her head in protest, covering her mouth with a hand while she tried to get past him. Shizuo looked confused, but Shinra immediately recognized the girls need. He quickly stood and hurried to grab the trash can from the kitchen. He rushed back and placed it in front of her just in time for her to keel over and start to vomit.  
Surprised, Shizuo took a step back, giving her space to retch. She heaved again and again, shamelessly losing her lunch, breakfast, and possibly her dinner from the night before. Shinra helped keep her steady while she kept her head buried in the can with sickness. "There you go. Let it out." He told her as he gave a few reassuring pats on the back. "Not to worry." He tried to console warmly when he noticed Shizuo's intense look of concern. "Vomiting is a rather common side effect of a concussion. This is totally normal."  
"Stop smiling, you freak." Shizuo growled at him, not at all comforted by that. How could he be so damn cheerful at a time like this?  
"How are you feeling now?" Shinra asked when Tamina's sickness finally seemed to cease.  
She took her time answering, head still hanging low. Eventually she sat back, breathing a heavy sigh and wiping away the involuntary tears that had stained her face. "Surprisingly better." She admitted, surprised by the sudden relief. Now that the nausea was gone the room was at least still. "But my head hurts." She added, the nagging pain still there.  
"Well, I'm sure you have a sizable wound there, so that makes sense." Shinra's words trailed off when he noticed the death glare his statement provoked from Shizuo.  
Tamina looked up with concern now, reaching for the wound on her head. "It's that bad..?"  
Shizuo quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her from investigating. "Don't." He insisted. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you. But Shinra's gonna fix it."  
"Don't worry!" Shinra said reassuringly. "You're not bleeding too badly, so I'm not extremely concerned. Let me just check you out."  
Now that she was aware of it, the throbbing in Tamina's head was even harder. She squinted when Shinra shined a small pen flashlight in her eyes. He observed her pupils dilation and asked. "Can you tell me your name?"  
"Tamina Takeda." She responded.  
"Good Tamina. Do you know what day it is?" He asked.  
"It's Friday."  
"Follow this for me." He moved the light slowly back and forth, which she followed with her eyes like he'd told her. "Great!" He said, once done. "Based on your motor functions and ability to talk I'd say it's pretty safe to assume your brain isn't damaged or swelling. So there's that!" He concluded cheerfully.  
Tamina gave a small nod at that. She wasn't dying. Indeed, at least there was that. Shizuo, who had remained by her side quietly, finally felt the urgency pass and got up to retrieve the water he remembered she'd asked for.  
"Alright," Shinra began pulling gloves on. "Let's have a look at the damage." Tamina leaned toward him hugging her knees as he started to part her hair looking for the wound. He had no trouble finding it, letting out a laugh. "Ah, there it is." It was a long split towards the back of her crown. He used his flashlight to examine the wound further, delicately spreading it with his fingers to estimate it's depth and severity.  
"Stitches?" Tamina asked, squinting through the mild discomfort.  
"More like staples." Shinra told her. "About eight is my guess, but don't quote me on that." Tamina let out a surprised breath, but Shinra consoled her. "Don't worry. Actually, from a medical perspective it's quite impressive. Rather clean cut. No debris inside. And your skull looks fine too. Completely intact."  
"You can see my skull?!" Tamina was startled, the very thought making her uneasy again.  
Shinra didn't have to look to know he'd enticed a second unholy glare from Shizuo. He just laughed nervously. "Why don't I get a few more things so we can get you cleaned and closed up." He grabbed a handful of gauze and lightly covered the wound, guiding Tamina's hand to hold them in place. "Sit tight." He told her, then stood and scurried out of the room, sure to travel around the opposite side of the couch as Shizuo.  
Shizuo watched him leave irately, then came to sit next to her, offering the water. "Here."  
"Thanks." She replied, taking a long drink. When she was done she added with a sigh. "And thank you for helping me."  
"Don't thank me for that." He told her softly, looking down.  
"No really, Shizuo. Thank you so much." She insisted, wincing a bit as she adjusted her grip on the gauze.  
Shizuo knew the gravity of his actions would sink in after urgency subsided, but it was still hitting him rather hard. Her words only made him feel more guilty. She didn't even realized, did she? "Do you have any idea what happened?" He asked, brow becoming tight.  
She blinked and tried to recall. Now that she had some sense, she could give her full attention to the situation. She did remember some things. She remembered Izaya... That memory came back clearly and bitterly. She remembered being chased. She remembered Shizuo showing up. She remembered finally feeling somewhat secure, but abruptly the recollection was cut short. Everything had just gone black after that.  
Shizuo sighed. "It was my fault you got hurt like this." He told her, avoiding her eyes.  
"What do you mean?" Tamina asked, genuinely unsure what he could be talking about.  
"When I was throwing those scumbags a beating, I kind of lost control. Some stuff went flying and..." He hesitated, embarrassed. "A big piece of wood hit you right in the head."  
Tamina hadn't realized that it was, in fact, Shizuo's debris that had struck her, rather than an assailant. It wasn't until then that she realized how guilty he felt. It was all over his face. He was stiff and tense. His eyes averted and focused behind his glasses.  
She in turn, started to feel guilty for the guilt he felt. "It's okay." She told him sincerely.  
His brow was tight. "It's really not..."  
"No, it is. It was an accident." She kept assuring him.  
What was he supposed to say now? 'No, things like this always happen'? He couldn't admit that. He'd look like an even bigger dumb ass. He felt frustrated with himself, despite her understanding. He had lost control again, and this girl was sitting here getting staples in her head because of it. He wasn't strong enough again. Strong enough to stop himself from going too far. His expression remained rigid and his fists still clenched. Tamina knew her words held little power with him at the moment. It became obvious that, like this temper, his brooding was not easily eased.  
"Okay! Let's close that up, huh?" Shinra's voice caused both of them to jump.. He came to crouch in front of the couch, putting a plate of tools on the table. "Ready for that big spot I'm going to have to shave on your head?" He asked.  
Tamina gave a long sigh, already mentally prepared for a bald spot among her long wavy locks. "I guess so."  
With that Shinra had a good laugh. "Wow! What a good sport! I was just teasing you though. I won't have to shave anything. Its a pretty clean cut."  
"Stop scaring her!" Shizuo demanded, causing Shinra to laugh nervously, holding his hands up.  
"Anyway! Okay, Tamina. First I'm going to clean you up." He let her know, soaking a clothe in antiseptic. "This is going to get kind of messy in your hair, so I'm sorry for that."  
Tamina nodded and leaned forward so Shinra could begin cleaning the tender area. She winced as he dabbed the wound.  
"Are you okay?" She heard Shizuo ask.  
She gave a small nod. "Its not too bad."  
"Alright," Shinra said as he grabbed an intimidatingly large syringe off the tray on the table. "I'm not going to lie to you. This is the part that sucks." He held it up, squeezing the plunger to release any air inside, some liquid squirting out the top. "This is going to numb you," He told her. "But it has to be injected directly into the wound. It's gonna hurt like hell all at once, but right after you won't feel much of anything, okay?"  
Tamina let out a nervous breath and nodded. "I guess so." Before Shinra began she extended a hand to Shizuo. He looked to her hand and back to her, at first confused, but realized what she wanted when he saw her worried face. He took her hand in his and she squeezed right away. "Okay, I'm ready." She told Shinra, as mentally prepared as she could be.  
Shinra nodded and began. He gently slipped the syringe right into the gash, flooding the wound with the fluid. Tamina immediately tensed, every nerve in the wound firing off, as Shinra said it would. "Oh, wow, this is terrible." She hissed through the searing pain, trying to keep some humor about it. It was all she could do to keep from letting out a pitiful cry. She had Shizuo's hand in a white knuckle grip as she willed herself through it. Shizuo was hardly fazed by her grip. Her pained expression shook him more than anything she could physically do, he was sure.  
Finally, the pain started to subside. And soon after, it vanished all together.  
"How's that?" Shinra asked her, patting her shoulder after withdrawing the needle. Tamina nodded, relief washing over her. "Good, good." He said, putting the empty syringe back on the plate and picking up the staple gun. "I promise, the roughest part it over. This you wont even feel."  
The daunting instrument he held made Tamina question that, but she said nothing. Just leaned forward again and let the doctor start to close the wound. She felt pressure, and the tool made a loud snapping sound every time a staple sunk into her head, but he was right. She didn't feel any pain. Once the last staple was in place Shinra let out a triumphant laugh. "Spot on! Eight staples, just like I said!"  
"Are you okay?" Shizuo asked while Shinra collected his things.  
Tamina smiled softly. "Yeah, I'm okay now. Thanks." She told him, giving his hand another soft squeeze before releasing it.  
Shizuo's fingers lingered but he let her hand slip from his. As much as he liked the feeling of her hand in his, he couldn't contain the feeling of contempt for himself, considering the irony. Holding hands with a girl was supposed to be for movie dates or walks in the park. But he bitterly felt it was just his luck to end up doing it like this. Painfully. Awkwardly. Unnaturally.  
"You look tired." Shizuo observed, trying to shift his focus away from his disdainful thoughts and occupy himself as he'd done before. With her.  
"I am." She confirmed, fingers coming to rub her temple to relieve some pressure. "If I fall asleep will I go into a coma?"  
Shinra chuckled. "Actually, that's a myth. When the brain sustains an injury, rest is the best thing for it. You should stay under a doctors supervisor for a day or so after a blow like that though. We've got an extra room if you'd like to lay down."  
"Would I be overly enthusiastic if I asked you for something for this terrible head ache?" She hoped.  
"Afraid so. We shouldn't be suppressing symptoms just yet. But I'll have something for you in the morning." Shinra told her. He suddenly became excited when someone new entered the room. "Oh, Celty! You're finally home!"  
"Hey Celty." Shizuo greeted as well, less enthusiastically.  
Tamina glanced over her shoulder to see who had come in. Her hair stood on end when she saw none other than the black rider, watching them from the hall. She was unmistakable with her black leather bike wear and yellow neko helmet.  
"This is Shizuo's friend Tamina." Shinra told the rider. "I just stapled a pretty sizable gash in her head."  
The rider approached, causing Tamina to sink into the couch a bit. She was surprised when the rider pulled out a phone and began tapping away at the screen. When they were done they held the phone out for Tamina to see. It read: "I'm sorry to hear that. How are you feeling?"  
Tamina blinked, realizing this must be how it communicated. "Oh..." She verbalized the realization. There was pause after that, as she still tried to process the whole situation. The black rider was here. Right here. Real. And talking. To her! The short silence in the room made her contemplation obvious. She tried to recover, worrying she might appear rude. "I'm starting to feel better now, thank you." She finally said.  
The rider withdrew her phone and started tapping again. Tamina looked at the screen she offered again. "Well it's nice to meet you. My name is Celty. We're happy to help any friend of Shizuo."  
Tamina breifly glanced at Shizou. So he really was friends with an urban legend. When she thought about it, it did make sense. He was something of a legend himself. "I really appreciate all the help." She told Celty. "I'm sorry to come barging into your home like this."  
"It's no problem!" Shinra waved her off. "Shizuo does it all the time with little remorse."  
Celty began tapping away at her phone again. "Would you happen to be in the Dollars?" Is what the screen read when she showed it to Tamina.  
"Uh, yeah, I am." Tamina confirmed, surprised. "How do you know that?"  
"I think every Dollar in the city might be looking for you. You fit the description." Celty pulled up a Dollars message board and scrolled through to show her.  
Tamina recognized the Dollars page and leaned in to read the message board Celty showed her. The initial message was Kyohei. It read. "ALL DOLLARS: Our friend is missing and may be in danger! Keep an eye out for her. She's short, with long, pinkish blonde hair. Can't miss her!" Every message that preceded that was a Dollar confirming a place they'd checked or place they would look. Tamina couldn't help a smile to herself, reading through all the supportive message from familiar handles. There were at least sixty posts on this board. Maybe there were people out there trying to turn the Dollars into something ugly, but most of them were still good. Just normal people, looking out for each other. Keeping their city safe.  
"Yup. That would be me." Tamina admitted. She noticed Celty's handle was displayed and read 'Shooter'. It was a name she immediately recognized. "You're Shooter?" She asked, more than surprised. They chatted often. Typically about trivial things like movies and music. There had never been any strangeness or hints toward the supernatural nature of her online friend.  
Celty tap, tapped away. " That's me! Would you mind me asking your handle?"  
"I'm LC." Tamina let her know, the strangeness of her day staggering her by now.  
At that Celty's posture seemed to change in an excited way and she began to tap tap tap again. "Wow! I never would have guessed! It's nice to meet you in RL!  
"Me either, you have no idea." Tamina said with a soft smile. Then a realization came. "I should let everyone know I'm okay..." With that she remembered. "Oh, but I those guys totally destroyed my phone."  
Shizuo let out an irritated growl at that. He suddenly wished he'd thrown those low lives an ever more severe beating. Seriously, to gang up on a girl like her and have the nerve to break her phone to boot? His own phone had been buzzing all night. Probably due to all the Dollars updates. When he checked and noticed several missed calls from Tom he realized he'd completely ditched his job. "Sorry." He said immediately standing from the couch. "I have to make a call." He excused himself to the hall to explain the situation to Tom. Hopefully he wasn't too pissed.  
Celty typed away. "I'll let the Dollars know you're safe." She showed Tamina.  
"You hang out with Kyohei and his gang right? Want me to call them?" Shinra offered.  
"You know my friends?" Tamina asked.  
"Yeah. Kyohei, Shizuo and I all went to the same high school." He explained.  
She wasn't eager to explain her circumstances to her overprotective friends right away, so she gladly relented the task. "I'd appreciate that. Please, don't let them worry."  
"You can use the landline for any other calls you need to make." Shinra offered her a cordless phone, then went about the task of gingerly notifying her friends.  
With Shinra dealing with that, Tamina right away dialed Mairu and Kururi. It was well past their dinner hour and they were no doubt concerned by now. "Hey, it's me." Tamina told Kururi when she picked up her end.  
"Are you okay?" Kururi asked with little inflection, as usual. "You're phone goes straight to voicemail."  
"I'm so sorry, Kuri." Tamina began apologetically, rubbing her temple. "It's been a really weird day. Did you two eat?"  
"Yeah, we're fine. We got take out. Where are you?" Kururi asked.  
"I can't really explain right now." Tamina didn't want to worry them so she decided to delay this explanation as well. "Something came up, but I'll hopefully be home tomorrow. Will you two be okay until then?"  
"We're fine." Kururi assured her.  
Tamina breathed a relived sigh at her understanding. "Okay. If you need me, call me at this number."

 

When Shizuo returned from his conversation with Tom, he approached Tamina on the couch. Her color had returned a bit, but she still looked like hell. A dimmer, tired version of the usually bright girl that stuck out to him. "Let's get you in bed." He told her.  
"Please." She more than accepted, ready to finally lay down and rest her throbbing head. There was nothing more appealing to her right now than the thought of sleeping until this ache was gone. She extended a hand to him which he took right away with a disapproving look. "I'm okay. I can walk." Tamina tried to assure him, using his weight as leverage to try and stand up.  
"I'd rather you didn't." Shizuo insisted as he halted her, his other hand firmly grabbing her shoulder. He didn't wait for her to attempt further, instead pulling her close and sweeping an arm under the back of her knees to pick her right up.  
"Good night Tamina!" She heard Shinra call as Shizuo carried her down the hall of their beautiful apartment.  
There was no point in trying to have her way. She had a lot of recovering to do and Shizuo was more than capable of assisting her for the time being. Familiar with Celty and Shinra's apartment, he brought her to the spare bedroom and crouched down to sit her on the floor. After he set up the futon he guided her to lay down. "Here."  
She came to lay, resting partially on her side to avoid pressure on her head wound. "Thanks." She replied, already resting her eyes.  
Crouching next to her sad, pale form, Shizuo felt immensely unsettled again. "Tamina..." He started to say. "I just wanted to tell you, I'm so sorry about this." She looked up at him ready to protest, but he went on. "Don't try to make me feel better about it. I hurt you. And there's no excuse for that."  
"I've been hurt by way worse than you, Shizuo, trust me." She told him. "Please forgive yourself a little. You didn't mean to."  
"I never do." He said bitterly.  
"Besides. I owe you an apology too." Tamina said suddenly, hoping she could ease his brooding.  
Shizuo looked to her curiously, unsure what on Earth she could feel the need to apologize for. Especially now. "Why?"  
"The last time we saw each other. I'd never seen anything like what you did. I didn't understand it and it scared the hell out of me." She admitted. "I don't have the best judge of character, but I still judged you and I was so wrong for that."  
"I don't get how you can say that after what I did tonight." He said.  
"What do you think was gonna happen if you didn't show up?" She asked.  
At that he suppressed a growl. "I don't wanna think about that. Those guys better hope I don't catch them in this city again."  
She noticed the tightness in his eyes and brow. His fists were clenched tight in his lap. She hadn't meant to spike his nerves again. He certainly was an emotional man. More than she ever would have thought. Compelled to comfort him she persisted. "I forgive you. I really do."  
"You shouldn't." He immediately hissed. Right away he regretted the hostile tone he'd projected, but it just frustrated him further. He couldn't even speak his damn mind without his intense anger distorting him and molding him all at once.  
It was like staring at an overflowing sink, or a fire, catching from one thing to the next, to the next and on. Tamina could see his chain of irate thoughts on his tight face. He wasn't looking at her anymore. He didn't seem to want to. His eyes could burn a hole in the floor and his brow twitched with tension every so often. She felt like she was running out of ways to approach the matter, but she was still desperate to console him. Regardless of this mishap, he had done the right thing. She needed him to see that. She reached over to touch his hand. "Shizuo please," She said.  
Under her touch he immediately looked up. First to her hand, softly gripping his fist. Then to the new soft but focused expression on her face.  
"It hurts me, seeing you like this." She told him more quietly than before. And she meant every breath of it. His self loathing and anger pained her. For all the good he'd done she couldn't bear to see him being so hard on himself.  
With that he softened. He felt the pressure that had been building begin to fade. 'It hurts me' Her words reverberated in his head, reeling in his nerves. He didn't want to hurt her. In any way. Ever again. He felt a change start to churn in him. His harsh internal monologue ceased, and a strange sense of clarity was washing over him.  
After watching a sort of calm finally take him, Tamina felt like she could finally say more with him actually hearing. "Thank you so much for what you did. And I forgive you. Can you please get past this?" She pleaded. He gave that a good hard thought. Just forget about it? Move on? Easier said than done. At his hesitation she gave his fist a soft squeeze again. "For me?" She added.  
He felt himself melt further under her words, the heaviness inside him finally giving way. As if a threshold had been cleared, allowing his energy to flow freely again. His face relaxed and fists slowly loosened in his lap. It was gonna be hard, getting past this, no doubt. He was his own worst enemy he knew. But for her, he wanted to try. "Alright." He relented.  
Her hand didn't withdraw from his right away like he expected. It remained, holding onto his. It was such a sincere gesture. One he didn't get often at all. He knew what he wanted to do now, but his actions lagged from nerves. How was it that his body was capable of such fantastic feets, yet he couldn't seem to do anything delicate? Still he was determined to try. Hesitantly, his hand rolls over so his palm could meet hers. His fingers curled around her hand to hold it. Even he had to admit, it felt incredibly nice. Such a small intimate thing.  
She watched his hand take hers and finally gave a content sigh. Her head ached terribly and she had eight shiny new staples in it, but at this moment, she felt pretty good. He was a good person. That much she was certain of. In a time in her life where she craved positive energy and connections, she allowed herself this innocent pleasure.  
He was happy to stay like this. He wondered how long he could. He wondered how long it would be before he did it again. Maybe sooner than he realized, if he could just try harder. "You have to go to sleep." He finally forced himself to say, watching her exhausted face.  
She wasn't in a position to protest. She could barely keep her eyes open anymore. "Are you leaving?" She asked.  
"I'll crash on Shinra's couch." He told her. "We'll talk more in the morning."  
She nodded at that, releasing his hand and pulling the blankets over her shoulder. "Okay. Please try to relax." She implored him.  
He felt like he was the one who should be telling her that. Still, he appreciated her continued consideration of his feelings. "Goodnight." He said simply.  
"Goodnight." She mumbled back, already feeling the heaviness of sleep rushing upon her.  
He waited a little longer. Her breathing evened out quickly as she succumbed to the rest she desperately needed. He left her to sleep, closing the door behind him and heading back to the living room where he could already hear Shinra's whiny obnoxious tone. The little bit of peace he'd just had seemed to vanish, much to Shizuo's irritation, but he reminded himself the former was more odd than the later.  
"It's still our movie night Celty... We don't have to skip it just because we've got some company! We can move it to the bedroom! Now that I think of it... I'm even more excited now than-OW! OW!" Shinra whined when Celty began to poke and prod him with her shadows.  
Shizuo watched the strange exchange with a perplexed expression from the doorway. They'd no doubt grown closer in the time he'd known them, but he still wasn't quite sure how Celty put up with his strange friend.  
Celty turned, noticing Shizuo watching them and immediately offered her phone. "Sorry! Is she sleeping?"  
"Yeah, she is now. It's fine." He came to sit on the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. What a long day it had been...  
"That took longer than I expected. Did you get a good night kis—OW" If Celty's shadow hadn't punched Shinra, Shizuo would have. Shinra toppled backward at the strong contact, nervously waving his hands. He was beginning to think he'd pressed his luck enough with everyone tonight.  
Shizuo was satisfied with this, scoffing off the tension he felt building in him again. He took deep breaths, trying to remind himself. 'She's in there sleeping.' He told himself. 'Keep it calm so she can sleep.' He found himself justifying. Oddly enough, just as before, it worked. The stress slowly became less nagging and he was able to let the irritation at least somewhat slip away for Tamina's sake.  
"You look tired youself." Celty's phone read when she offered it to Shizuo.  
He let out a long sigh. "Yeah. Would you mind if I crashed here?"  
Celty was tapping again. "Of course not. You should."  
Shizuo nodded at that. "Thanks."  
After Shizuo was settled with a pillow and blanket Celty and Shinra left him to wind down for the night. He sat on their couch in the quiet, reflecting on the day. He certainly hadn't expected anything extraordinary to happen, but he found himself strangely at peace with it by now. It was strange, because tension seldom left him so easily. He shifted, wondering if maybe he was just too tired or burnt out to feel clearly by now. He felt something unfamiliar in his pocket when he did. Unsure what it could be, he reached into his pants and pulled whatever it was out. Upon examination he realized it was Tamina's busted phone that he'd grabbed for her earlier. With a soft sigh he turned it in his hand, examining the damage. The glass was completely shattered and it certainly seemed to be beyond repair. He held the power button just to confirm his suspicions. It wouldn't even turn on.  
It was in a blush pink case that just seemed to suite her to him. He blinked, noticing something peeking out of it. Gently, he pulled out the small slip of paper. He found the text familiar. It was a fortune from a cookie from Russia Sushi. It read 'Pay attention to the signs. The universe is speaking to you.' It must mean something to her. Why else would she keep it?  
He stared a little while longer, reading it a few times more. Finally his hand fell back into his lap, still holding the little paper. "Well?" He said out loud but softly. "I'm listening." He said, as if the universe would just answer him right then a there.


	8. Paradox

Tamina woke with terrible dryness in her throat and a pounding in her head. It was very similar to being hung over, even the horrific dehydration. There was a moment of confusion as she looked about the space. Eventually she remembered the events that brought her here, easing her tension. She pushed off the futon and found herself stronger and steadier than earlier. Her dizziness was completely gone too. With that she felt confident enough to stand and explore the guest room. She slowly padded to the large sliding glass doors that seemed to lead to a balcony. She pressed a hand against the door frame and looked out at the sky just beginning to tint with light in it's transition from night to morning. It was very early. She scanned the room and found an alarm clock that read 4:42am.  
She turned when she heard a thud resound from the hall. There was definitely someone awake, which had probably caused her to stir to begin with. Her overwhelming thirst caused her to head for the door. If she couldn't ask the person who was awake, maybe she could go to the kitchen quietly and get some water for herself. She hoped it was Dr. Kishitani. Maybe he could give her the pain meds he'd promised so she could get some more sleep. Surely enough time had passed by now. She certainly wasn't in any danger any more.  
She opened the door and peeked down the dark hall. There was light casting from under one of the doors in the hall and the sound of a water running. She concluded whoever was awake was taking a shower, so she decided to help herself. As quietly as possible she walked down the hall to where she remembered the living room, and subsequently, kitchen was. Physically, everything seemed okay, but her throbbing head and desperate thirst made her feel something like a zombie. She entered the kitchen, silently looking through cabinets until she found a cup. Once located she pressed the glass against the dispenser in the fridge for water and hastily took a long drink. It felt as if the water was soaking into her very being, giving her relief as she gulped again and again for a nearly unnatural time. When she finally put the cup down it was nearly empty and she heaved a deep, content breathe. She filled it up completely again and began to head back to the bedroom.  
When she came back into the living room she paused in her tracks. How could she have forgotten? In her dehydrated haze, she'd hadn't noticed Shizuo sleeping right there on the couch. She couldn't suppress her smile, seeing him sprawled out there, completely undisturbed. His arm was splayed across his face and his chest was rising and sinking in deep sleep. She padded more cautiously now, eyes barely leaving him as she stepped away and back into the hall.  
The bathroom door opened and Celty stepped out, rubbing a towel on her neck. She'd already manifested her bike attire. She still had plenty of time before she needed to get to her job so she planned on watching the news and weather for the day. Her typical morning routine. She froze when the unfamiliar girl entered the hall.  
Tamina halted as well, eyes widening at the sight of Celty's truly headless form. She stared at the black shadows that oozed from her neck, expecting any second to blink and be able to see more clearly. But every time she tried, she reopened her eyes to the same horrifying sight. 'No head...She has no head... There's no head... There's really no head...' Her thoughts panicked while her body remained frozen in fear.  
There was a stand off there. Neither one knew if they should move. Sensing the tension rising, Celty finally decided to reach to take out her phone and console the obviously startled girl. The sudden movement however had the opposite effect, causing Tamina to let out a bone chilling shriek.

 

Shizuo jolted out of sleep and off the couch, lunging forward into a sitting position at the shrill sound followed by glass shattering. His head jerked around, trying to find the source of the scream. He'd know her voice anywhere by now and the very prospect of her in danger was something he found himself immediately acting on again.  
He leaped off the couch and to the hall in just two powerful bounds. His pugnacious attitude began to dissipate when he found Celty in the there in quite a panic, frantically waving him over from her place outside of the locked guest room.  
She quickly offered her phone, which Shizuo read after he shimmied down the side of the hall past the mess of shattered glass and water on the floor and came close enough. "I'M SO SORRY! I COMPLETELY FORGOT SHE WAS HERE! "  
Shizuo relaxed a bit at this. That was a very Celty thing to do. Despite his friends supernatural nature, she was quite the spaz. He concluded from there that Tamina must have seen and locked herself in the room. It must have been quite a shock. "It's okay," Shizuo consoled, rubbing his tired eyes. "Let me handle it."  
"Okay..." Is all the text said when Celty displayed her phone again.  
Shizuo recognized her body language. She was clearly discouraged as she retreated to clean up the mess and subsequently disappear. He wished he could offer some comfort to her, but his mind was currently occupied. This would certainly be an interesting conversation. He approached the door and knocked softly before calling. "Tamina, it's me. Open up."  
Not a moment later the door opened the tiniest bit. Just enough for Tamina to peek, then reach out to grab his sleeve and tug Shizuo inside. He didn't resist at all, slipping through the small space and once inside she shut the door right behind him and locked it again. "Are you okay?" He asked, studying her tense face.  
"She really doesn't have a head." She told him, her eyes still wide.  
"Yeah, I know..." He admitted.  
"It's just..." She stumbled over her words, gesturing with her hands. "Not there..." She couldn't help feel like she was dreaming. She would wake up any second wouldn't she? Bodies surely couldn't just walk around without heads.  
"Well, she is 'The Headless Rider.'" He tried to remind her. When he noticed his words hadn't eased her in the least, he caught her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay." He said. Again, it didn't appear she was comforted. She still looked as if she'd seen a ghost. Considering her condition he worried further. "Come on, you're still hurt." He coaxed her back toward the futon.  
She allowed him to take her by the arm and guide her back to the bed, her thoughts still scattered. "Am I.." She trailed off in her haze of confusion, so she had to start again. "Am I going crazy?" She asked, considering her recent head injury. Maybe this was a sign something was seriously wrong with her brain.  
"No, you're not." He assured her, tugging her down gently to get her back on the unmade bedding.  
"But-" She started but stopped when he grabbed her shoulders and gently but firmly laid her back down.  
"Shhh." He tried to ease her racing mind. "Listen, I know it seems pretty crazy, but Celty would never hurt you. She's a good person. Just think back to the first time you saw what I could do."  
At that Tamina softened. She'd been so overwhelmed with fear up until then but he was right. It was very similar to that time she'd seen Shizuo hurl a street light at Izaya in the streets. It was shocking and overwhelming, but by now she knew Shizuo meant her no real harm at all. With this she finally started to relax. Fear was subsiding, but she remained somewhat shaken. As if everything she'd ever known could be wrong. She started to think about all the other supernatural folklore she'd been so dismissive of in her life.  
A soft knock came to the door, and Tamina tensed again. Shizuo lightly tapped her arm. "It's alright." He said as he got up to answer it.  
A groggy Shinra waited just outside. "How's she taking it?" He asked Shizuo with a yawn.  
Shizuo assumed Celty had briefed him. "She was just a little surprised." He told him through the small crack of the door.  
Shinra nodded at that. "I can imagine. Well, anyway, I figured since she was up she might want some meds." He offered two small white pills and a new glass of water. "Maybe we could all go back to sleep." He said, a slight hinting in his voice that seemed to make sense with his still exhausted expression.  
"Thanks." Shizuo said as he took them. Shinra left him to it, determined to get back to bed and get at least a few more hours of sleep. Shizuo shut the door and came to crouch next to Tamina on the floor again, who was looking slightly less unsettled, but only slightly. "Here." He offered her the medication.  
She propped herself up onto her elbows and eagerly took them along with the water. In the fog of hysteria, she'd momentarily forgotten the pain in her head.  
"You should get some more sleep." He told her while he a stifled yawn himself.  
She put the water aside and came to lay down again, eyeing the second unfolded guest futon next to him. "Will you stay with me?" She felt rather silly asking. Like a child who'd seen too much of a horror movie or feared the dark.  
He followed her eyes and silently contemplated. Was that appropriate? She'd asked, so he slowly concluded it couldn't be too wrong or rude. He reached over and began to set up the other futon and came to lay on it. He settled on his back with an arm behind his head, glancing over at her. She was laying on her side, favoring her uninjured side, watching him quietly. There wasn't anything exceedingly strange or intimate about sharing a room but he still felt a flush in his cheeks laying next to her like this. He hoped the mostly dark room concealed this. It was innocent enough, but he'd never shared such space with a woman and it caused his heart to speed up just a bit.  
"So...What is she?" Tamina's soft voice broke the quiet.  
Shizuo's eyes shifted to the ceiling, glad for a distraction. "I'm not entirely sure myself, but she's some kind of fairy."  
"A fairy?" She questioned with a curious look. When she thought of fairies she thought of little creatures with wings. Not headless motorcycle riders.  
He nodded, understanding her confusion, but didn't know enough to explain further. He'd never really concerned himself with what exactly Celty was. It never really mattered to him.  
Tamina fell silent. The medication Shinra had given was beginning to take effect. The pulsing in her head was easing up, which made it much easier to rest. Now that the nagging of pain was fading she could feel how exhausted she still was. She decided to rest her eyes momentarily with every intention of asking more questions, but underestimated her need for more sleep. Despite the growing morning light in the room she slipped right back into slumber.

 

When Tamina woke it was hours later. She could tell by the brightness in the room and sounds of the city outside the glass balcony doors. She glanced next to her and found Shizuo on the extra futon. His arm was resting across his eyes to block out the days light but he still slept deeply. She smiled softly to herself, opting to stay right there for the time being to avoid disturbing him.  
She tried to quietly roll onto her back to look up at the ceiling. She winced a little, suddenly remembering the injury that had brought her here once her weight settled. Her hand came to cautiously feel the area toward the back of her head. Her nerves had kept her from investigating the wound until now but she finally ran a finger over the tender area. There was a mild discomfort as she felt the ripple of each staple in bedded in her head. The wound was longer than she had thought but she was happy she didn't know this last night. She silently wondered how long it would be before it was completely healed. She'd never so much as had a stitch or a broken bone in her life, so she had no idea what the recovery process would be like.  
She shifted back onto her side, preferring to keep her weight off the area. She was feeling a great deal better and didn't want to push her luck by irritating it. With little else to focus on, her eyes fell on Shizuo next to her again. She allowed herself sometime to study him. He was so peaceful, his breaths coming slowly and evenly. Even though she couldn't see his eyes, his face seemed so soft and gentle in relaxation. It was a far cry from the twisted rage she'd seen in times before. She knew he was tall, anyone seemed so next to her. But he wasn't overly muscular. At least not nearly enough to hint at the tremendous power he had. He was paradox upon paradox.  
As if feeling her eyes investigating him, Shizuo started to rouse. He let out a low groan, recoiling at first, then extending his limbs for a much needed stretch while his tired eyes adjusted to the unfamiliar room. His stretch was interrupted when his arm collided into the girl laying next to him, which caused him to momentarily stiffen. He looked over and met a pair of dark cobalt eyes, causing the memories from the night before to rush back to him. He instinctively jerked his arm away and out of her space. "Sorry." He blurted.  
Tamina found him perplexing. Despite his hardened exterior and violent outbursts, he was surprisingly such a wholesome guy. So modest and respectful. At least when it came to her and his intentions. But what disconcerted her was his habit of apologizing. He did it so often. She could think of a dozen occasion he'd done it in their short time knowing each other. For serious and trivial things a like. Even for just touching her now. As if he sometimes apologized for his very existence.  
Then she started considering. She thought back to how she'd thought of him before last night. How he'd absolutely terrified her. How she had let Izaya's words and jumping to conclusions poison the initial chemistry she'd had with him. She hadn't texted him after they'd exchanged numbers. She hadn't even considered it after that encounter. She wondered how many others were so dismissive of him after seeing what he could do. How many had passed judgment. No wonder he felt he needed to apologize for simply touching her.  
Now she was the one compelled to touch him. She suddenly felt like she should make up for everyone's apprehensions toward him. To teach him something. She grabbed his arm and gave a tug. He blinked, completely unsure of her intention but complied, allowing her to pull his arm from his side. She shimmied close, off of her futon and onto his into the space that provided, laying her head down on him between his shoulder and chest. She avoided his eyes as she came to settle there, snaking a leg over his hip to completely mold into him.  
Shizuo fiercely fought the heat he felt in his face and the way she made his heart jump. He had no control over the way his body tensed under her touch. She curled into his side and when her leg came to snake over his lap he let out an audible breath despite his best efforts.  
She was so intrigued by his tension. It was as if he'd never been touched at all. As if it pained or worried him, holding such close proximity with someone. She thought it would begin to subside but his body remained rigid against her. She spooned into him further and spoke softly. "Shizuo?"  
"Yeah?" He asked anxiously, though he remained still. He wasn't sure how to reciprocate, and the nerves of not reciprocating made him feel even more awkward.  
"I'm tired of hearing you apologize." She told him, listening to the distinct quickened throbbing in his chest.  
Before he could think about it, it almost came out again. 'Sorry.' His lips parted but he stopped himself. It was then that he was truly at a loss. He had no idea what to do in that moment.  
Tamina sensed this in his silent stillness. "It's okay..." She said softly, pulling and guiding his hand around her hip. "You can touch me." She told him.  
He remained uneasy but started to soften at her guidance, fingers curling around the curve of her waist. Despite the new territory, his apprehensions slowly faded. Surprisingly, the situation didn't feel lewd or explicit at all. It was so new and subsequently, refreshing and exciting. Once these sensations washed over him, he finally felt his body moving freely and independently, as it usually did. For once, this came as a relief. He needed to reciprocate. He wanted to.  
She felt incredibly warm and safe when she felt him finally start to respond. He pulled her closer into him, hugging her into his side. She let out a content sigh, resting her eyes again. There was some familiarity with the feeling. It had always felt good to her. Laying close to and being held by someone. But there was something else at work here. She felt an excitement under his fingertips. A burning under his touch. These were the same hands that ripped out street lights. The same fingers that curled into fists and fought with a ferocity that was well known. Feeling them so gently touch her caused a warmth to spread through every part of her. She couldn't suppress the small smile on her face, silently feeling as though she'd proven something by just laying here with him like this.  
He found himself overwhelmed by a similar sensation. So often he found himself at the mercy of his impulses, but in this particular moment, it was exhilarating. His body was acting on its own, as it so often did, but it wasn't destroying public property or fighting some punks. He was touching and holding a woman. Carefully. Tenderly. He let the moment last, hugging her against him and deeply breathing her scent. Maybe this is what it was like. Peace.  
They were content to stay that way for a while. It was quiet, but neither felt the need to interrupt the silence with words. As if reasoning would just take away from this moment.  
They both stiffened when a soft knock came to the door. "Heyyyyyyy..." Shinra's voice came softly from the other side. After they heard the twisting of the locked door knob Shinra added. " I probably should have mentioned this before, but I'd advise against any 'strenuous activities.' At least for a few days..."  
At that Shizuo's tensions returned and spiked, causing him to gently untangle himself from Tamina and sit up. "Shut up! It wasn't even like that!" He spat irately.  
"Like what?" Shinra toyed with him. "I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, but since you're so defensive I have to wonder-"  
"You really want me to come out there and kill you, don't you?!" Shizuo snapped back.  
Shinra's tone immediately changed. "So! Who wants breakfast? Take outs on me!" His voice trailed away from the door and down the hall.  
Shizuo growled, unsure why he expected Shinra's usual stupid antics to come at a more opportune time. His eyes shifted to Tamina, who seemed to be hiding an amused expression beneath the blankets. "Sorr-" the word nearly came out to apologize for his friend but he stopped himself, remembering her earlier request.  
She came to sit up next to him. "Don't worry about it." She assured, beginning to get up.  
He came to his feet first, offering a hand to assist her. "How do you feel?" He asked.  
"A thousand times better." She told him, eagerly taking his hand and steadying herself. "But I'm starving."  
"Well, you missed dinner and kind of puked your brains out last night so..." He pointed out.  
She breathed a laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did." She admitted, slightly embarrassed by that.  
They both tried to compose themselves a bit before exiting the room. . Shizuo adjusted and straightened his button down shirt and Tamina tried to tame the mess of waves and kinks that was her hair. They shared a shy smile before they headed out of the room and into the hall.

 

They came to find it was after 11am. They ordered take out for a late breakfast from a local place Shinra and Shizuo were familiar with. It was an odd morning for Tamina, being treated and waited on, considering her usual work. She got to eat at her leisure and lounge about rather than rush around and worry about the twins.  
"So how do you two know each other?" Shinra asked with a somewhat telling smile as he finished up his breakfast and shut the take out container lid.  
Shizuo immediately answered, hunched over his own food. " We're friends."  
"Well obviously." Shinra rolled his eyes. "I mean-"  
"I know what you mean." Shizuo cut him off, eyeing him with some hostility.  
Tamina decided to stay out of it, nursing the orange juice she'd gotten with her breakfast. The banter between the men she shared the space with was amusing. It was obvious they'd known each other a long time. Maybe middle or grade school.  
"Okay, okay." Shinra relented, trying to change the subject. "Tamina, what do you do for work?" He asked warmly.  
"I'm something like a nanny or care taker." She explained.  
"Oh! So you like kids?" Shinra asked suggestively. He felt Shizuo's eyes momentarily flicker toward him, causing some tenseness.  
Tamina hardly noticed though. "I do, but the girls I look after are a little older. In their teens. I mostly just make sure they're fed, have clean clothes and stay alive."  
Shinra laughed. "And I thought my job description was interesting."  
Shizuo felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. When he checked the ID he offered it to Tamina. "It's Kadota. He's probably checking on you."  
Tamina nodded, taking the phone and excusing herself to the adjacent balcony. She shut the sliding glass door behind her for some privacy.  
Just as she left, Shinra's phone began to ring too. He reached into the pocket of his long white lab jacket and checked the ID when he pulled it out. "Ah. I need to take this." He told Shizuo as he began to excuse himself to his bedroom. Shizuo watched him leave but paid little mind, assuming it was a client. He came to settle on the couch, hands folded behind his head.

 

"Hey" Tamina answered.  
"What the hell?!" Kyohei's unhappy voice came immediately.  
"What happened?!" Erika's voice came booming in the background.  
"Did someone hurt you?!" Saburo's voice mixed in as well.  
Tamina cringed away, holding the receiver away from her ear at the volume of her friends scolding. When they seemed to simmer down she answered. "It's okay. I'm fine." She started.  
"Bullshit!" Kyohei interrupted harshly. "You spent the night at the mob doctors house. Don't you lie to us."  
Tamina was surprised at that. 'Mob doctor?' She hadn't questioned the legitimacy of Dr Kishitani until now. Still, she forced herself to keep a convincing tone. "I'm so sorry I worried you guys. I promise I'll explain everything when I see you." There was a silence on the other end that was almost as unnerving as the disciplinary tones she'd just been receiving. "Dr. Kishitani should okay me to go home soon." She added after the prolonged pause.  
"Call us when he does." Is all Kyohei responded.  
She couldn't help but feel uneasy after ending their talk. A heaviness started to creep into her heart. Kyohei, Saburo, Walker, Erika. Each of them had done so much for her. There was no need for the kindness and friendship they'd extended to her without question when she first showed up here. The least she owed them was honesty. She heaved a heavy sigh thinking bitterly. 'Damn it, Izaya...' He'd screwed things up for her again. With that thought she felt her anger toward him slightly falter. No. She couldn't keep blaming him. This was her fault.

 

Shinra made his way down the hall and ducked into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him before answering his phone. "So, what is it this time? Did you get yourself stabbed or shot?" He asked.  
Izaya's grin was obvious in his voice from the other end of the line. "What if I just called because I wanted to talk?"  
"Sure." Shinra replied in an unconvinced tone. "And what could you possibly want to talk about?"  
"I don't know." Izaya began as if thinking. "The weather. Pop culture. Your physical relationship with a mythical creature. Or... maybe your current house guests?"  
At this Shinra felt a shift in his mood. He knew his friend had resources as an informant, but he never appreciated them being used against him. Especially considering the precariousness Celty's presence presented. The thought of eyes on his home caused his friendly nature to dissolve. "Care to elaborate?" He asked in a more neutral tone.  
"I'm talking about Tamina Takeda. Is she there?" Izaya asked in a strangely friendly way.  
"She is." Shinra felt no reason to deny it. He obviously already knew this. "How do you know and why do you ask?"  
"I'd talk to her myself but her phone goes straight to voicemail. The last person to post about her on the Dollars message board was Celty, so I assumed she found her way there and my resources confirmed this. So what happened? Is she hurt?"  
"I'm afraid that breaches doctor/patient confidence." Shinra told him dismissively.  
"Fair enough." Izaya relented, gaining more than enough information from that statement alone.  
"How do you know Tamina?" Shinra asked.  
"Oh, me and Miss Takeda go back a ways. Last I saw her we were planning dinner."  
Shinra scoffed at this. "Dinner, huh?"  
"That's right." Izaya replied. "I enjoy her cooking but I thought I'd take her out for a change." He added smugly.  
"That's strange." Shinra found himself interjecting. "Considering how close her and Shizuo seem to be."  
There was a pause on the other end, which gave Shinra some brief satisfaction, but Izaya's tone came back seemingly unfazed. "So Shizu-chan is there too."  
Shinra knew his friend better than that though. "So what is this?" He asked curiously. "Just another thing between you and him?"  
"Not at all." Izaya dismissed.  
"Chasing after the same girl?" Shinra pressed.  
"I called to talk about her, not that brute." Izaya replied in a tone that surprised Shinra.  
A silence passed between them and Shinra found a smirk creeping onto his face. "Well that's intersting." He commented.  
"Anyway," Izaya began again. "I was just checking on her."  
"How kind of you." Shinra observed. "And she's just fine." He let him know.  
"Great to hear!" Izaya's typical exaggerated tone came back. "I'm sure I'll see her sometime soon anyway. Well thanks Shinra! Bye now." And abruptly the call ended.  
Shinra remained, silently contemplating. Izaya was as conniving as ever. Their long standing friendship had taught him that Izaya's had little reservation or distinction between men or women when it came to his scheming. He knew it wasn't beneath the info broker, to use a woman, especially when it came to Shizuo, but something about this didn't seem that simple. Something about Izaya's tones and shortness. He couldn't suppress the feeling of something bigger at work here. And, despite himself, he felt a growing apprehension toward Tamina developing as well.

 

Izaya's jaw twitched after he ended the call, absent mindedly turning his attention to emails and other social media.  
"This is strange. Even for you." Namie commented from her place leaning against one of the book shelves in Izaya's apartment. "Care to explain?"  
"Nope." He immediately replied, pocketing his phone and crossing his living space to his computer desk.  
Namie scoffed, pushing off the shelf. "Why do you give a damn about that little suicide girl? You've pulled that scheme a hundred times."  
Izaya came to sit in his computer chair and swivel to face her. "I'd tell you, but I doubt you'd believe me."  
Namie hated appearing interested in his antics, but his actions lately were exceedingly odd. "Try me." She challenged, curiosity winning her over.  
"Alright then." With that a toothy grin took Izaya's face. "Tamina Takeda is... A very good human." He could tell by Namie's unchanged expression that she didn't grasp what he was saying. "I'm fairly familiar. With people, you know?" He added, idly beginning to spin himself in his chair. "There are those most would consider 'bad people' and those most would consider 'good people', strictly based on what our society considers 'morally permissible.' He steals so he must be bad. She helps the old lady across the street so she must be good. I'm not talking about that imaginary line that the world around you draws between people. I'm talking about human nature."  
Namie suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, impatiently waiting for him to make whatever 'profound' point he thought he was making.  
Izaya went on. "Tamina Takeda makes the right choices for the right reasons. Sometimes... She also, just as frequently makes the completely wrong choices for the right reasons. Or wrong reasons... " He trailed off with a telling smirk on his face. "She's human nature at it's finest. So exciting and imperfect."  
"So watching her fuck up turns you on?" Namie asked.  
"In all honesty there isn't much she can do that I don't find myself enjoying. She's cute when she smiles and plays. She's pretty smart and has a good sense of humor. She has some wit about her too. Those things are all fine and good. But when she cries... When she's hurt...When she's frightened... When her eyes are glazed with unapologetic lust... " His tone adopted a more passionate inflection. "When her face twists in anger or frustration. God, I like it when she does those things too. It just reminds me why I love humans so much to begin with." With that he paused, remembering his conversation with Shinra. "And humans are mine. All of them..." He found himself saying sternly, looking out the window at the city. The silent possessiveness that had been creeping into him for weeks now was coming to a head. Even more so, thinking of that monster near her. Maybe it would be different if it were another human... But it wasn't. It was a beast. And he'd be damned before he let a monster have any human. Let alone a human like her.. "Especially her." He added.  
Namie found herself in a soft silence. She's never seen him quite like this and she wasn't quite sure to make of it. Izaya felt her eyes on him and turned, meeting her curious gaze. At that he adopted his more usual mannerisms, letting out a laugh. "Anyway! Do you have what I asked for?" He asked her, changing the subject.  
She suddenly remembered the folder she carried tucked under her arm. "Right." She said, opening it and skimming through the printed pages inside. "He's a sick fuck, this one." She noted.  
"How old did you say you were?" He asked, standing from his chair to cross the space and retrieve the documents she provided.  
"Thirteen." She replied in a disgusted tone, closing the folder and handing it over.  
Izaya took it and made his way back to the living room, flipping through it's contents. He let out a long whistle after reading some of the text. "Wow. What a perv..." He observed, but held a disturbing grin.  
Namie had more than her fill of his demented behavior and the day was still early. She decided to relent, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. "If that's all for now, I'm going to pick up some groceries." She told him. There wasn't anything his apartment desperately needed, but she found herself making any excuse to break her confinement at times. Especially when she had no one but this twisted man as company.  
"Sure, sure. See you later." He said hardly minding, flopping onto the large couch to read the documents she had provided him with more thoroughly. He heard the door shut as Namie swiftly made her exit. In his privacy he found himself chuckling to himself. "Who knew one of the top defense attorneys in Shibuya would have so many skeletons in his closet..."


	9. Honesty

"Everything okay?"  
Shizuo's voice pulled Tamina back to attention. She hadn't even noticed he'd come to check on her. She'd ended her call with her friends but felt uneasy considering how they'd left off, so she remained outside ,elbows on the balcony railing, just watching the city. "Yeah, fine." She assured him, looking over her shoulder and forcing a small smile. "They'll pick me up whenever." She offered his phone back.  
Shizuo came outside. "They must be pretty worried." He concluded, taking his phone back and pocketing it.  
She let out a sigh at that. "Yeah... I kind of wandered off on them yesterday, and that lead to the part where you stepped in. They sounded pretty pissed." She admitted.  
"It's just because they care." He tried to reassure her.  
"I know." She was suddenly reminded of something Kyohei said. "Is..." She hesitated, unsure how to bring it up. "..I mean. Dr. Kishitani... He's a real doctor, right?"  
"Well..." Shizuo started, just has hesitant to answer as she was to ask. "He is... In the sense that he's educated and knows what he's doing..."  
Feeling there might actually be some truth to what her friends had said, she just asked. "Is he a 'mob doctor'?"  
"Yeah, yeah." He seemed relieved she came up with words for it. "That's it."  
There were plenty of questions buzzing around in Tamina's head, but all that seemed to come out was, "Uhm.. So...?"  
He could see her concern and tried to explain. "He is a real doctor. I wouldn't have brought you here if he wasn't. But his work is kind of... under the radar..."  
She nodded at that, deciding not to press the subject any further. She was thankful for the help, after all. There was a silence between them while Tamina became lost in thought and Shizuo tried to think of what to say next. His first instinct was to comment on the weather, but he stopped himself. How cliché was that? They were past that, weren't they? He decided to step out of comfort and ask something he really wanted to know. He remained polite as usual though. "Can I ask you something that's been kind of bothering me?"  
She looked a little surprised but answered right away. "Sure."  
"The last time we saw each other..." He began, but she already felt like she knew where he was going. "You were with Izaya Orihara..."  
She had silently hoped he wouldn't bring it up, but she couldn't blame him. There was obviously bad blood between the two, and thinking back to that day, it must have looked strange from Shizuo's end. She remembered it so clearly. Sinking back into Izaya's body while he clutched her to him protectively. The fear she'd felt toward Shizuo and the comfort she'd found in Izaya's touch in that moment. She shook off the thought.  
"It's...really nothing." She found herself blurting before he could finish. When she noticed his eyes on her, she felt a guilt in her statement and she couldn't bare it. "I'm sorry..." She started again. " I don't want to lie to you..." As hard as it was, she forced herself to be honest with him. "There was something between me and Izaya, at one time." She began to confess, watching his expression carefully. "But it was very brief! And... to be completely honest, it was pretty terrible." When she couldn't read his face her eyes shifted away, somewhat embarrassed to go on, but she was determined. "He didn't have any respect for me. Or my body... It's something I really regret, but it's also something that brought me here, so I've kind of made my peace with it. Now I look after his sisters, so I'm kind of stuck with him."  
He was quiet. And a little too unreadable for her comfort. "I see." He finally said, still not hinting how he felt about her little confession but obviously in deep thought.  
It was almost more than Tamina could take. She hated the idea of hurting him. "Is that a deal breaker?" She asked apologetically.  
He adopted a questioning look for a second, unsure of her meaning. When he finally understood he became a little flustered. "Oh! No! No, it's not..." He said, averting his eyes and scratching the back of his head. As much as the thought of that flea with Tamina tugged at his nerves, he couldn't bring himself to be upset with her about it. He appreciated her honesty and could tell it was a sore subject by her tone. Furthermore, the fact that she seemed so concerned about his feelings about it was something that eased his mind. She could have lied, or avoided the subject, but she didn't. And for that, he felt like he could level with her. Especially considering his growing, proliferating infatuation. "I'd be a hypocrite if I judged your past with him. Considering I can't seem to get him out of my life either as much as I try." He found himself saying.  
She was so relieved at that. She worried all this coming to light might change the way Shizuo saw her. And it wasn't until this very moment that she realized how much that meant to her. "Good." She said in a breath of relief with a small smile.  
There was a strong gust of wind in the early spring air. It was even stronger up this high. It caused Tamina's hair to whip, most of it colliding with her face. She laugh at herself, spitting wisps from her lips and trying to push it away.  
Shizuo couldn't suppress his own smile, silently admiring all the loose waves and natural kinks in her long hair. He knew what he wanted to do, but there was a delay in his body. He found himself a little frustrated at his apprehensions again, and willed himself to act, as he'd done earlier. His damn body always did whatever it wanted anyway. Why couldn't he do it now? The ice had been broken, hadn't it? He silently gathered his nerves and his efforts were rewarded when his hand finally started to move like he wanted. He reached up and carefully helped her, fingers lacing through her locks and pushing them out of her face. He let them graze across her cheek when he did. He moved the strands back, tucking them behind her ear and it revealed that ridiculously sweet, squinty eyed smile that he liked so much.  
Tamina could feel his fingers lingering tenderly. Once again she felt an overwhelming affection for this man. This paradox. Her friend. Her savior. She turned her face into his hand, closing her eyes and grazing her lips across his palm. As composed as he'd been, she could feel the subtle change in him when she did. This caused her to smile against his hand, casting him a side glance but remaining right there.  
His hand burned where her lips touched and he knew his face was again adopting a deep hue of red, despite his best efforts. But he didn't care. He liked it. He more than liked it. Even her smallest, endearing gestures like this caused his heart to soar in a way it never had before.  
"Hey!" Shinra called to them as he carelessly threw the balcony door open, causing Tamina and Shizuo to jerk away from each other yet again. Shinra immediately caught on to the sudden tension. "Oh, sorry, was I interrupting something...?"  
Shizuo could have killed him. He really could have, his hand balling into a fist on the balcony railing. Tamina picked up on it right away and placed a hand on his fist, giving a subtle squeeze and smiling warmly at the doctor. "Not at all!" She said nonchalantly. As irritated as he was, Shizuo felt his tension fade under Tamina's touch once again.  
"Oh good!" Shinra came out to join them. "Just wanted to give you these." He offered a filled prescription bottle. It was a little shady, with no labels of any kind on it, but Tamina took it all the same. "Take these as needed for pain for the next few days, don't operate heavy machinery, blah blah blah. You know the deal."  
Tamina gave the bottle a shake, looking over the pills. They were the same kind he'd given her earlier, so she didn't question further. "I really appreciate it." She thanked him.  
"You should come back here in about ten to twelve days for me to remove the staples. Until then try not to do anything strenuous and get plenty of sleep. If there are any issues don't hesitate to call or stop by." He said.  
"So.. that's it?" She asked.  
"Yup! Pretty much! You're coherent, you're not having convulsions and there's no liquid draining from your eyes or ears, so it's pretty safe to say you've avoided any serious brain trauma. You're free to go." He assured with a warm smile.  
She shared a look with Shizuo before managing a smile too. "Well that's definitely good news."  
"Yeah..." Shizuo couldn't deny.

 

Tamina used Shizuo's phone to let Kyohei know she was ready for pick up. When he responded they were close by.  
"I can't thank you enough for everything Dr. Kishitani." Tamina thanked again, giving a bow of respect.  
"No, no!" Shinra waved her off. "It was no trouble at all! You were a pleasure compared to most of my patience. Especially Shizuo!" He told her  
"And," She began more seriously. "Please apologize to Celty for me..."  
"Oh, don't worry about that! She totally understands." He tried to assure her.  
"No!" Tamina insisted. "I was horribly rude! You welcomed me into your home and helped me and I..." She paused, searching for words." I just... screamed in her face... It's unforgivable."  
Shinra let out a soft laugh. "I'm sure Celty would disagree, but I'll pass the message along."  
Shizuo's phone chimed, and they all seemed to know what that meant. Shizuo checked and gave a nod of acknowledgment. "They're here."  
"Well, it was very nice to meet you Tamina." Shinra said.  
"You too. And thanks again." Tamina said as she began to leave down the long hall, Shizuo following close behind to escort her out.  
They stepped out the front door and into the elevator together, standing side by side as it began to descend. There was a silence between them again as both searched for something to say. There was a pressing feeling now that she was on her way out and they both felt like they should at least say something.  
It seemed like time had sped up as they reached the bottom floor before either of them knew it. The elevator rang and the doors slid open. Neither made a move to leave. They remained, determined to achieve some kind of closure to the strange events that had brought them here.  
"Hey..." Shizuo was finally able to say. "I know you said you don't want me to apologize anymore, but I'd really like to make this up to you."  
Tamina smiled at that, relieved he'd finally said something. "I won't argue that."  
"So... I guess I'll text you..?" Shizuo said, then seemed to realize. "Well, whenever you get a new phone."  
"Oh," Tamina was reminded. "Yeah, I'll try to get a new one this week. I'll text you when I do. I still have your number."  
"Good." Shizuo concluded warmly but reluctantly.  
"Well," Tamina found herself just as hesitant to leave but forced herself to step out of the elevator and head for the entrance of the apartment building, her eyes never leaving him. "Thank you so much Shizuo. I'll talk to you as soon as I can."  
He felt quite excited at that. Considering his actions, he never expected her to be so forgiving. Furthermore, he never expected her to be so excited to see him again. His euphoria caused delay in response, and it wasn't until the elevator doors started to slide shut that he jerked from his idol stance. "Looking forward to it!" Was all he could manage before the doors shut completely on him.

 

Tamina climbed into the familiar van silently. There wasn't the usual chorus of greetings that she was used to. This caused her tension to flare. The sliding door slammed shut behind her and Kyohei climbed into the passenger seat. They were underway shortly after. Still, no one broke the silence.  
She felt like she should say something during the drive. The quiet seemed to ring around her as she stared out the window, watching passing signs and buildings; anything to occupy her mind. But she remained silent. The more she didn't say anything, the more difficult it became to speak. As pitiful as her sense of direction was, she could tell they weren't headed toward her apartment just yet. Still, she didn't say a word.  
The van came to a stop in a familiar parking lot. Saburo put the vehicle into park and leaned back in his seat, making himself comfortable. Walker and Erika leaned forward from the back, resting their elbows on the back of the middle seat. Finally Kyohei flipped open the sun visor, using the mirror within to make sharp eye contact with Tamina. "Alright, we need to talk." He told her in a stern tone. His words pained her with anxiety, but Tamina just nodded in response. He continued. "Look, I feel like we've been pretty understanding thus far. You've obviously got some baggage and past demons. Everyone does. And we're not the type to force you to air out all your dirty laundry. You can talk about what you wanna talk about whenever the hell you feel like you're ready. That said," His tone shifted a bit. "We deserve some answers." He said. It wasn't a request.  
"I know..." Was all Tamina could manage in response, eyes falling to her lap.  
"I don't feel like we have to dance around the subject anymore." Kyohei went on. "When we found you, you were suicidal." He said bluntly. Tamina winced, but couldn't deny it. "We're invested in you at this point, Tamina. I hope we've made that clear." The group shared a nod of acknowledgment at his statement. "We love you, and don't want to see you hurting in any way. We know depression is a hell of a thing and a sensitive topic, but we can't continue to let you be so reckless. And above all, we'd like you to share things with us, so we can help you if we can."  
There had never been a direct conversation about it. In fact, it seemed to be something they all avoided or ignored. But it was true. What bonded Tamina to this small group was the fact that they had been the only thing that had prevented her from ending her own life. Thinking back on it now made her feel incredibly weak for some reason. As much as she fought it, she felt the swell of emotion to cause a heaviness to grow in her eyes. She'd always been an emotional crier. She hated how it looked, but her emotions often overflowed and she'd developed few other methods of coping. Fear. Sadness. Anger. Frustration. They all provoked a similar reaction. "I'm..." She started, but her voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."  
Kyohei immediately felt guilty for causing such a response. He wasn't sure what he had expected from his lecture, but upsetting her like this, he realized, was the last thing he wanted. "Hey," He started to console, turning in his seat to look at her directly. "Don't cry. We're not trying to punish you or anything!"  
Erika swiftly hopped over the middle seat from the back to sit next to Tamina. "What Dota-chin means is we care about you a lot, despite our short time together. We need you to know that. And we know whatever you've gone through was hard and probably left some scars. But there are people out there that really love you and you can trust them. There's no need to keep those people out of the loop, because they would never judge or hurt you." She finished pulling Tamina into a tight hug.  
Tamina felt an immediate comfort in her actions and words, even if Erika seemed to be cuddling her to her breasts a bit more than necessary.  
"That's right." Kyohei confirmed, his tone more tender than earlier.  
Tamina didn't even know where to start. She wanted to tell them everything, but 'everything' was just so much... She wasn't the type that found her words easily. She needed time to think on them to best express her feelings which is why she often favored actions over words... "I promise, I'll tell you guys everything." She began. "I just... need a little time." She told them, hoping for an understanding that she didn't know if she quite deserved.  
Erika finally pulled Tamina from her chest to lock eyes. "We're gonna be there for you. No matter what. Dollar or not. We knew you were a cool person when you were just LC to us, and as Tamina we know you're even more. Don't sell yourself short. And don't you dare think you have to go through all of these things alone."  
Whatever composure Tamina had managed to muster was cracking, but she forced herself to smile softly and nod. With that Erika hugged her tightly again. Tamina grunted when Walker suddenly hopped over the middle seat as Erika had done, sandwiching her between them and joining the hug.  
"Alright, I'm gonna get in on this..." Tamina heard Kyohei say from the front, followed by the sound of his seat belt unbuckling.  
"Yup, me too." Saburo's voice followed.  
Both guys climbed back and roughly joined the group hug happening in the middle seat. Tamina couldn't hold in her laughter and let out a groan as everyone around her gave a big squeeze.  
"Hey!" Walkers voice chimed. "This reminds me of this part in this erotic manga I read once where-"  
"Damn it Walker, don't make it weird." Kyohei cut him right off.

 

The barrage or questions Tamina received upon her return home wasn't any more forgiving. She'd tried to play it off, assuring the twins that it wasn't anything serious, but after they'd insisted on seeing the injury, there was no curbing their frenzy.  
"What happened?!" Even Kururi's voice had a surprised inflection.  
"WHO DID IT?!" Mairu demanded.  
Despite Tamina's many assurances that it was just an accident and she was fine, the girl's boisterous doting couldn't be contained. They insisted she sit and relax while they waited on her hand and foot.  
"Are you hungry?"  
"Does it hurt?"  
"Need anything?"  
Every gesture was really sweet, but Tamina felt quite overwhelmed and incredibly inadequate. Especially since caring for these two was her job. Not the other way around. She tried to participate in the less strenuous house hold chores but the girls just wouldn't have it, insisting she rest while they took care of everything. She eventually came to rest on the couch, quietly wishing the two would keep this helpful mentality long after her injury. They were proving to be much more capable then they'd initially let on. When the nagging pain began to return to her head a little too sharply, she sought the medication Shinra had given her. She popped two pills and plopped herself back on the couch to try and relax and watch TV while the twins continued to take care of her usual responsibilities. Nothing particularly interested her so she settled on the news, idling listening and leaning against the back of the couch as the grogginess that the medicine caused started to set in. Her eyes became half lidded and she started to dose.  
She was a little startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder, eyes jerking back open just as she'd been on the cusp of sleep. Silently, Kururi came to sit on the couch next to her and guided her to lay down. Tamina's head came to rest of Kururi's lap and she smiled to herself. As the more quiet twin, these bouts of affection often took her by surprise, but she appreciated the gesture all the same. It wasn't strange or awkward anymore when the girls chose to show her love. It was welcomed.  
Kururi didn't say anything, just silently stroked Tamina's hair and watched whatever was on TV. Now laying down, Tamina's sleepiness was even more difficult to fight. Again, she nearly slipped into sleep but Mairu's voice called from down the hall. "So! Do I really have to separate whites and colors?" She asked.  
Tamina was pulled back to reality. The idea of Mairu handling the laundry nearly caused her to get up, but she was just too comfortable and tired. "Yes." She called back groggily.  
"But what if I...didn't..?" Mairu asked again, a hinting in her voice.  
"Just leave it! I'll take care of it tomorrow." Tamina replied, barely able to keep her eyes open at this point.  
"No way! I got this!" Mairu insisted. "How many scoops of detergent, like three?"  
"One!" Tamina called back. "Barely one!"  
"One! Right!"  
Though Tamina's mind fiercly protested the thought of Mairu potentially ruining all of their clothes, she couldn't respond anymore. Her brain promptly shut down, giving into the nap she desperately needed.

 

Tamina woke to fading light. It was early evening and the apartment was growing dark. The TV still idling played the local news and weather. She found herself surrounded by warmth. Her head still rested on Kururi's lap, who was awake, still silently watching the TV. She glanced down, and noticed Mairu had at some point squeezed into the space between her and the back of the couch and rested partially on top of her, enjoying a nap as well. Tamina shifted a little, but Mairu simply nuzzled into her further, her head on Tamina's side. It wasn't until the buzz of the dryer sounded that Mairu perked up. "Huh?" She blurted pressing up on her arms and pushing her glassed back up the bridge of her nose.  
"The laundry." Kururi said flatly.  
"Oh, yeah, yeah." Mairu realized, reluctantly untangling herself and going to check.  
Tamina sat up and gave a stretch. According to the time on the cable box she'd been out for a little over two hours. "Are you hungry?" She asked Kururi through a stifled yawn.  
"We'll have take out." Kururi replied blankly, eyes never leaving the TV.  
"You guy had take out last night. I'm okay to cook." Tamina insisted.  
"Why is this stuff still all wet?!" Mairu's irritated voice called down the hall.  
Tamina blinked, casting a glance in her direction. "Did you set the temperature?"  
There was a pause followed by a long groan. "There are settings for this thing too?" Mairu asked.  
Tamina heaved a sigh, rubbing her eyes to wake up some more. "You know what? Take out is fine." She told Kururi. "Just get your sister away from the laundry."

 

Once the girls stepped out to pick up some dinner, Tamina headed right for the bathroom. A nice hot shower was just what she needed.  
Her head hung back as she thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of the steamy water running through her long hair and down her body. After the last two days she desperately needed it. She scrubbed her body and face feverishly, then began the task of carefully washing her hair. She winced as she did, still extremely tender headed. She hoped that would start to fade soon. Again, she ran her fingers over each staple in her now healing wound, still not quite used to the feeling.  
She lingered under the hot water for a while longer. It wasn't until the water started to cool down from over use that she turned the shower head off. She let out a content sigh, reaching out of the shower and blindly feeling for a towel. She blinked when she didn't feel anything, leaning out of the shower to look and found herself puzzled. There was no towel there. That was pretty strange. She swore that she had put one there before she'd gotten in. Maybe she'd just forgotten. She was recovering from a head injury. With that thought she huffed a breath, stepping out of the shower. She shuffled over to the small linen closet where she kept the extra towels, careful not to slip. When she pulled it open a cool feeling sunk into her still hot flesh. There were no towels there either...  
Tamina pursed her lips, her brow becoming tight. Something was definitely off here. Though it wasn't unlike her to forget to grab a towel before her shower, she knew for a fact there should be extras in here. Her eyes shifted to the bathroom door. It was slightly ajar. Now she felt uneasy.  
She summed up her nerves. She padded to the door and pulled it completely open slowly, peeking into the hall. When she didn't find or hear Kururi or Mairu's familiar voices, she decided to slowly make her way down the hall. There was a hum coming from her room. She could hear it upon her cautious approach. It was the sound of her TV. That was the last straw. She didn't know what was going on, but she was becoming agitated. She slowly pushed the door to her bedroom open and immediately scowled.  
Izaya smiled broadly from his place lounging on her bed flipping through channels on her TV. Tamina's irate expression intensified when she saw the stack of towels he'd collected on the bed next to him. He didn't seem at all fazed though. In fact, he looked quite pleased. His eyes moved away from her clearly angry face and panned down to enjoy the perfect view of her still soaked, nude body. It had been a while, but he remembered.  
Though he didn't often find himself admiring humans for their bodies, he couldn't deny that he liked hers. Her breasts were on the smaller side, no more than a handful, but they felt just right. In his mouth especially... There was a slope of great contrast between her waist and her hips that he particularly enjoyed too. And when his fingers gripped them tight... He shifted a bit, surprised by the effect his memories of the last time he'd seen her like this tugged at him. Her figure was just another thing about her that hadn't been important to him at all at first, but nagged at his mind more and more over time.  
It was only a momentary lapse, and one he'd never let her onto, so he quickly regained his typical facade. "Miss Takeda!" He greeted her, obnoxious as usual. "You're looking extra beautiful today! Did you do something different?" He tilted his head, scanning over her one more time teasingly.  
"This isn't funny." She told him sternly, marching over to snatch one of the towels off her bed.  
"What?" He asked innocently. "It's nothing I haven't seen before." He justified.  
"Why are you here, Izaya?" She asked. Irritation dripped from her voice as she turned away from him and wrapped the towel around her body.  
"I'm checking on you." He said simply. "Shinra put me under the impression you might be hurt."  
She scoffed. "Like you give a damn." She crossed the room to her dresser to find some clothes.  
"You seem irritated." He pointed out the obvious.  
She could just hear the smirk in his voice, even with her back turned and it just pissed her off more. "For your information," She shoved a shirt over her head, too impatient to put on a bra. It was over sized and hung loosely off her bare shoulder. "I got hurt because of you."  
"Seems like you need to learn how to take care of yourself better." He replied pretty unfazed, attention returning to the TV.  
She huffed at that, shoving the drawer shut and roughly opening another. "If you feel that way then why help me the first time?" She asked.  
He let a low chuckle. "You should have noticed by now, Miss Takeda, I do everything on my own agenda."  
"And on your agenda today is, what? Harass and confuse me some more?" She pulled out a pair of small shorts she wore to bed.  
"Actually I was leaning more toward you climbing into bed with me here so we can watch these people with the piss poor budget fawn over luxury apartments with open floor plans, mahogany floors and stainless steel appliances." He gestured toward the TV with the remote and said simply.  
Finally she looked back at him. "So you save me and make out with me one day, dismiss me and blatantly disregard my safety the next. Why?"  
"I wish you wouldn't keep making me repeat myself, Miss Takeda. It really takes away from all that hard work your pretty face does." He said, provoking another scowl from her. He smirked at this. Pushing every single one of her buttons was just another things he found himself a little too thoroughly enjoying. "I just like to see what humans do... Anyway, you can hardly keep blaming me for your misfortunes. I only give you a little push, one way or another. You do all the rest." He shrugged.  
She knew he was right to some degree, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Your mental instability is really becoming an exhausting part of my life."  
He gave a stretch, folding his arms comfortably behind his head. "There you go. Always taking jabs at my sanity... I forgive you though. And I still love you."  
Tamina rolled her eyes at that. "No sane person would do the things you do." She mumbled, turning away from him again, pulling the length of her hair over her shoulder and patting it dry with the towel. "Why are you here, Izaya?" She asked again.  
"Well," Tamina was startled when his voice came from much closer than she expected. Just behind her. She hadn't heard the bed shift or his footfall at all. How did he always do that? He was like a damn ninja. He was amused when she suddenly became rigid with surprise, but he went on. "I told you I had something to talk to you about."  
"What?" She said in a breath.  
She tensed further when she heard him move. His hand moved over her shoulder and placed a thick envelope on her dresser in front of her. She looked at it curiously. It wasn't the sort that her payments usually came in and was obviously quite full. Her lips parted to question, but she stopped when a jolting sensation took her by surprise. With her hair over her shoulder her neck was completely exposed, and she foolishly wondered how she hadn't expected Izaya to seize any opportunity he was presented with. He knew the exact spot too... He'd easily figured it out in their brief intimate times before. Toward the back of her neck right at the dip of her shoulder. Her most sensitive area. He pressed his mouth to it, letting a hot breath escape.  
Despite the intrusion of her space and usual irritation at the liberties he enjoyed taking toward her and her body, an involuntary shiver coarsed through her. She practically melted, her body as responsive to him as always. She could feel him smirk against her skin. But just when she thought he'd make his next move, he just planted the smallest kiss there, then leaned back and moved away, giving her space again.  
There was an awful mix happening inside her. She hated how easily he could excite her but now that he had, there was an all too familiar ache inside. One she wasn't confident she could fight. His pulling away should have come as a relief, and it did to a degree, but not as much as she felt it should have.  
When she regained a little focus, her eyes came to the envelope on her dresser again. Flustered and impatient now, she relented her questioning and grabbed and opened it. She pulled out a stack of pictures and silently started to shuffle through them.  
Izaya perched himself on the edge of her bed, his vicious smirk returning to his face as he watched and waited for her reaction. He could already see it, in the twitch of the corner of her lips and growing tension in her brow. He thought her color might be fading a bit too. He studied her features as they became heavy with discomfort. Pain could be quite an intimate thing, and like everything else, he wanted to fully see and analyze it. Especially in her...  
He was quite correct in his observations. Tamina felt cold, and her heart was traveling up and up from her chest high into her throat. She tried to keep somewhat composed as she examined every picture closely before flipping to the next. "What is this?" She asked, almost inaudibly.  
"Well!" Izaya's tone was far too chipper for a moment like this. "When you said you hadn't heard from your mom I thought that was really strange, so I looked into it. Maybe there's a reason she hasn't reach out to you. Seems your step daddy's been a busy man since you've been gone!"  
In the first few pictures Tamina recognized her step sisters middle school. They'd never been close, as she lived with Toshiro's first wife and didn't come over often, but Tamina had gone to a few of her swim meets and knew the pools in the photos when she saw them. What distressed her though, was the pictures of her step father. He appeared to have taken a position as the coach of this young girls swimming team. That thought alone caused a long buried fear to start to swell inside Tamina, but she pressed through the rest of the photographs. She couldn't help a huffed breath when it resurfaced in full force, the pictures becoming more candid, showing her step father in secluded parts of the auditorium or near locker rooms with some of the girls. Each girl looked horribly uncomfortable and he wore an expression she knew all too well. A hungry expression. The face on a predator.  
She couldn't take it anymore, shoving the pictures back in the envelope and dropping it back on her dresser. Her heart throbbed heavy in her chest. Somehow she managed to focus on Izaya's voice when it came again. "The most well regarded attorney in Shibuya coaching his daughter's swim team. I imagine it paints a nice picture for those who don't know better. There are only a few practices before the school year starts. I'm sure he'll be more 'full time' when that happens..."  
"Why?" Tamina looked at Izaya, unable to restrain her pained expression any longer.  
Again, he just smiled back at her. "I thought you'd like to know." With that her face became tight with anger and he knew she was about to fire back at him. "Ah! Ah!" He halted her with a raised hand. "Don't do that again." He warned, but never lost his smirk. "Don't go getting mad at me for the things you're responsible for. I didn't have to tell you about this at all."  
Her mouth was tight, suppressing the outburst she'd wanted to have. She'd wanted to scream at him. She was right back to borderline hating him. But with his words, it dissipated. He was right. Again. Like so many things before, she had done this... She'd run away, and selfishly thought the problem had vanished. But it hadn't. Like a disease, it spread. With that the anger was gone and her internal crumbling began again. "So why did you?" She asked, voice now shaken.  
When he didn't answer right away she looked to him. His smirk widened to a toothy grin. "To see what you'll do..."  
Tamina watched him carefully, but realized she'd half expected his answer. Of course he did. His whole 'people in extraordinary circumstances' idea came to her head and she realized the puzzles with him would likely never end. But she couldn't focus entirely on that. Despite whatever angle he may be playing here, this was something she couldn't allow herself to ignore. It dumped salt in all of her old wounds, but the prospect of going on blind to it was something she didn't take comfort in either. She supposed it was best he did tell her. "I'm going to stop it..." She finally said.  
Izaya nodded at that. "Want help?"  
She looked to him with a hefty feeling of doubt. "You're gonna help me?" Her tone wasn't convinced at all.  
"Well, I am an informant. I've dug up more than just those pictures."  
She eyed him suspiciously now. "What's it gonna cost?"  
"I'll cut you a deal." He said.  
"I'm not sleeping with you again." She interrupted curtly.  
He laughed. "Relax. I don't accept payments in sex anyway. I've got this deal with only a few others around here, so consider yourself lucky. I'll help you, but only how I see fit. And eventually, if I need a favor in return..." He trailed off, but she caught his meaning.  
She contemplated on it hard. She absolutely hated the idea of being indebted to Izaya. Her mind wandered to Kyohei and her friends. Then they shifted to Shizuo... There was a heaviness inside her with that, but when her eyes found the envelope on her dresser again she reluctantly and painfully buried it. "Okay..."  
"Great! I'll start working on it." Izaya said, suddenly pushing off her bed and heading to the window.  
Tamina watched him curiously and was about to question, but Mairu's voice distracted her. "We're back!" She heard the bubbly twin call from down the hall.  
When Tamina's eyes returned to the window Izaya had already pulled it open and climbed out. She rushed over, leaning out to watch him begin effortlessly climbing down the buildings fire escape. "What are you doing?" She called to him, a little nervous watching him jump from one landing to the next.  
"Leaving without getting kicked or pepper sprayed! Good evening, Miss Takeda!" He called back.  
"Hey!" Mairu's voice called to Tamina from her door.  
Tamina was a bit startled, leaning back inside and straightening right away. "Hm?"  
"Whacha doing?" Mairu asked curiously.  
"Nothing!" Tamina insisted, promptly slamming the window shut.


	10. First Kiss

"Heyyyyyyy." Mairu sat on the edge of Tamina's bed lightly nudging her care giver. "Hey Mina..."

Tamina woke with a start, pulling her face out of her pillow and looking around. "Hmm?" Mairu gave a toothy grin, pushing a tray toward her. Tamina blinked a few times, eyes still adjusting to the light, but eventually focused on the sloppy omelet Mairu presented her. "What's this?" She asked.

"Breakfast in bed." Mairu told her.

Tamina truly appreciated the gesture but a heavy, smoky smell hung in the apartment. "What's that smell?"

"I set some cheese on fire on the stove." Mairu said simply.

Tamina sat up and pulled her partially charred breakfast into her lap forcing a smile. "And what does the kitchen look like?"

"I won't lie, it's pretty horrific." Mairu admitted. Before Tamina could get another word out, Mairu shoved a finger to her lips to quiet her. "Don't worry your pretty face! We'll take care of it when we get back! You just relax and get better."

At that, Tamina noticed Mairu's somewhat formal attire. Kururi peaked in the room, leaning on the door frame dressed similarly except in an opposite color scheme, of course. It was then that Tamina came to a sudden realization. "Oh my God! Your entrance exams!" She exclaimed, checking the time. To her shock, the girls had gotten themselves up and dressed with plenty of time to get to their exams. But she hadn't helped them at all or prepared any kind of lunch for them. "I'm so sorry." Tamina started to get up. "Let me make something for you guys..."

"Hey! Hey!" Mairu stopped her. "You have a concussion! You need to relax! We've got this!" She coaxed Tamina back into bed, re covering her with blankets.  
"Are you sure?" Tamina asked, protest in her voice.

"We're fine!" Mairu assured. "We're on our way out anyway."

Tamina let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I-" She was cut off when Mairu pressed her forehead to hers affectionately.

"We're gonna go squash these exams so start thinking of all the amazing things you're gonna cook for us when you're better. We're gonna celebrate!" Mairu told her, nuzzling her face.

Kururi crossed the space and grabbed Mairu by the collar of her shirt. "We're gonna be late."

Mairu let out a gag, getting tugged off Tamina and letting her legs drag as her sister led her out the door. "We love you! See you later!" She managed to say, the enthusiasm still ripe in her strained voice.

Tamina watched them leave curiously. It was a later start to the day than she was used to, but she was still tired. Another, more critical inspection of her breakfast confirmed her earlier suspicions. Though she appreciated the sentiment immensely, it didn't appear entirely edible. At a loss of what she should do, Tamina let out a long sigh. She scanned the room idly, but her eyes were drawn to her dresser and the familiar envelope upon it. The one Izaya had brought. She eyed it a moment more before setting the breakfast tray on her nightstand and laying back down, irately pulling her blankets over her head in a swift tug.

 

Tom took a long drag of his cigarette, letting the smoke billow from his parted lips. He hated early days like this, even if it meant an early finish. He ashed his cigarette now and then, scanning up and down the busy city street, focused on nothing in particular as he waited for his partner.

"Hey!" Shizuo called as he hurried out of the store he'd been in, carrying a small bag. "All set. Sorry about that." He told his friend, pulling out his own pack of smokes, pausing momentarily to light up. "Let's get going."

"Did you get yourself a new phone?" Tom asked, noting the fancy bag.

After Shizuo took his first drag he answered. "Nah. It's for my friend."

"Which friend?" Tom asked curiously.

"Tamina, the one from the other day. In all the bullshit that happened her phone got busted, so I wanted to get her another one." Shizuo said, holding his cigarette between his lips so he could free his hands and fish around in the bag. "You think she'll like this case?" He showed Tom the phone case he'd picked out, which had been a much harder task than he thought. There were so many different kinds of cases and he wasn't sure what she would like. He'd eventually settled on a protective case with a watercolor floral design. It was pastel colored and vintage looking and reminded him of her for some reason, so he just grabbed it.

Tom gave a nod of approval. "Yeah, that looks nice and girly." He noticed the model of phone the case was made for and gave a soft whistle. "Spared no expense, huh?"

Shizuo shrugged, putting the case back in the bag. It was a model newer than the phone she had before, but money wasn't really the concern for him. He didn't often have a reason to splurge on anything and in turn had plenty of savings. Considering everything that had happened, he was more than happy to treat her.

"Hey Shizuo." Tom started as they walked to their last visit for the day.  
"Yeah?"

"This Tamina girl, do you like her?"

Shizuo tried to play it cool. "Why?"

At that Tom smirked. "I was just thinking she's pretty cute and if you weren't interested, maybe you could pass my number along?"

Shizuo tensed a little more than he meant to and shot Tom some fierce side eye.

Tom immediately got the hint and raised his hands in defense. "Hey! I'm just kidding." When Shizuo seemed to relax he added. "You should bring her flowers too."

"Flowers?" Shizuo asked, unsure.

"Yeah. Nothing crazy. And not roses. Something small..." Tom rubbed his chin in thought. "There's a place on the way that has little white daisies. Those would be good."

"Are you sure?" Shizuo asked, skeptically. "I don't want to go overboard."

"Have I ever steered you wrong before?" Tom inquired smugly.

At that Shizuo couldn't protest. "I guess not..."

 

 

Tamina lifted her face from her pillow when she heard a load buzz. She groggily scanned the room but couldn't find the source of the sound. She waited a brief moment more listening, but the apartment was quiet. Concern and interest fading, she started to settle again, hugging a pillow between her legs and burying her face among the blankets. That's when the sound came again.

This time she sat up. Now that she was more awake she recognized the sound of the intercom. She pulled the blankets around her body and stumbled out of bed, waddling out of her room and down the hall with her makeshift cape. When she came to the intercom by the front door she pressed the button and spoke into it. "Hello?"

"Hey!" She recognized Shizuo's voice right away. "Sorry to bother you. Kadota gave me your address."

Now she was much more awake. "No, you're not bothering me!"

"Could I come up..?" He asked a bit awkwardly.

She briefly looked down at herself, dressed for bed not company, in just shorts and loose tank top. Not even a bra... Then she looked around the apartment, which immediately became her most pressing concern. There was evidence of the girls attempted breakfast in bed and hasty departure thereafter everywhere. Their nightclothes were on the floor in the living area. The couch cushions were dislodged and blankets were strewn about. She could clearly see the impossible pile of dishes in the sink and mountain of pans on the stove top in the kitchen from here. She couldn't even imagine what the bathroom looked like. She briefly had traumatic flashbacks of what the apartment had looked like when she had first arrived and inwardly groaned.

"If it's a bad time..." Shizuo started to say.

"No!" She protested right away. Despite her embarrassment, she didn't want to pass up a chance to spend time with him. "No, please come up." She said, pressing the button to unlock the front door on the ground floor.

Tamina figured, if she was lucky, she had about a minute before he got to her floor and apartment door subsequently. She grabbed the girls clothes and things off the floor here and there and shoved the couch cushions back in. After tossing her cape-blanket, the clothes and other miscellaneous things into Kururi and Mairu's room carelessly, she rushed back out to fold the couch blankets. In the few seconds she imagined she had left she ducked into the bathroom and splashed some water onto her face. There was no making sense of her hair and a quick scan of the counter made it clear finding her hairbrush would be no easy feet considering the time constraints, so she carefully pulled it into a sloppy bun on top of her head. Looking at herself in the mirror, flustered and nearly out of breathe from rushing around, Tamina found herself having a good laugh. A real laugh. If anyone had seen her running around like this they'd probably think her a complete lunatic. It actually gave her a comforting feeling that she had needed, and she affectionately marveled at how excited she felt to see Shizuo again.

A knock came to the apartments door. Tamina looked herself over one more time. In her opinion, she was an absolute mess. But she was still recovery from a head injury, she reminded herself. She'd nearly forgotten. That, and she remembered with a soft smile that Shizuo probably wouldn't mind. She left the bathroom with a certain confidence in her completely bare look, deciding she shouldn't make him wait any longer.

Shizuo waited patiently, idly shifting his weight from his heels to his toes and back. He straightened up as soon as he heard the door unluck. The door opened and he smiled warmly when he saw her. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

Tamina was more than surprised when she saw him and the the small arrangement of flowers he held. She couldn't suppress her excited laughter, leaning against the door. "Are those for me?"

Shizuo blushed a bit, trying to hide it by adjusting his glasses. "Uh-yeah." He handed them to her.

"I've never gotten flowers before, so this is pretty big for me. Thank you so much." She took them eagerly.

He was so excited to hear that, his face lighting up even more. He had worried it might be lame or too much, but he made a mental note to seriously thank Tom. "That makes me so happy." He said. Before he had time to say anything else he was distracted by her hand finding his to give a tug, guiding him into the apartment. He complied completely, allowing her to pull him in and shut the door behind him, all the while watching her smile.

She tugged him along, unconsciously giving her small bouquet a sniff. "Please don't mind the mess." She pleaded as she showed him to the living area. "The girls have kind of been on their own and they attempted to cook for me, and it's just all kinds of chaos. I did my best-"

"Hey," Shizuo cut her off. "Why are you apologizing? You're still getting better, and I'm the one who dropped by unannounced."

Tamina guided him to sit on the couch and turned the TV on before she went to find a proper vase for her flowers. Upon entering the kitchen she was struck with a mild horror. Up close the damage was a bit more than she had expected. The wall next to the stove had some suspicious charring and blackening. There was clearly cheese and other matter cooked onto the stove top and the burnt smell lingered. "I'm usually a lot more on top of things around here." She felt compelled to call to him, trying to bypass the messes and grab a vase from a cabinet.

"I'm sure Kururi and Mairu aren't making it easy." He called back.

She couldn't argue with that. She knew they meant well but she couldn't wait until she could get back to her usual duties around here and their doting ceased. With that thought, she paused. He knew the twins? After she clipped the flower stems and placed them in water she came back into the living area, placing the vase on a small table. "I didn't realize you knew Kururi and Mairu." She noted coming to sit with him.

He shrugged. "They give me a hard time now and then."

"A hard time?" Tamina asked curiously. "Why would they do that?"

He tried to wave it off. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it "

"No, tell me." She insisted. "I can really reel them in."

Rather than change the subject, he tried to deflect. "How is that?" He asked. "I've never seen them easily contained by anyone."

"They're good girls." She assured him. "A little eccentric, but when you get to know them, they're really sweet."

Shizuo had some trouble seeing the 'sweet' side of the pester twins but smiled all the same. "They're lucky to have someone like you."

"...I did plenty of character research for the role. It was important for me to portray an authentic vampire. I even spent a few nights in Bran Castle just before filming began to truly get into character."

Shizuo was immediatley distracted by the sound of his brothers voice. His eyes were drawn to the TV. Kasuka was giving an interview on his role in the Vampire Ninja Carmila Saizo series. Tamina followed his eyes, then looked back and forth between the TV and Shizuo. He knew what she was going to say. She'd said it before, so he decided he should just come out with it. "That's my brother."

Tamina stared at him a moment, as if she didn't understand him. Her eyes moved from the TV to him and back again. She'd seen it before. There was an uncanny resemblance, but she'd just brushed him off. "Yuuhei Hanejima?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said. "My younger brother. His real name is Kasuka."

She stared at him a moment more as if he'd say he was kidding any second. But he didn't just stared right back at her. "I told you the first time I saw you!" She suddenly said accusingly, giving his arm a playful smack. "I said you looked just like Yuuhei Hanejima!"

"I know." Shizuo chuckled. "I know."

It was so hard to believe, but looking deeply in his face, it was so obvious. Besides the hair, they looked so similar. "Are you serious?" She asked once more.

"As a heart attack." He confirmed. "I wouldn't lie to you."

She finally seemed to believe, slumping back against the couch. "That's so crazy!"

"Yup, I know." He said. "You're not going to ask for his number now, are you?" He asked, half joking.

Tamina laughed, shaking her head. "Why would I do that when I have his brothers number?" He looked pretty pleased with that and she smiled sweetly in response. Another thought struck her and she had to add. "I also don't even own a phone at the moment." She joked.

Shizuo had nearly forgotten, quickly grabbing the bag he'd set on the floor and handing it over. "Oh, yeah! That reminds me." Unlike the flowers, he was fairly confident with this gift.

Tamina looked at him somewhat disapprovingly but still smiled. "Now what? You really didn't have to do all this..." She told him.

"Yeah, but I wanted to." He assured her, anxiously waiting as she fished around in the bag.

When she pulled out the box containing a brand new, incredibly expensive cell phone she was speechless. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it certainly wasn't this. "Shizuo," She started to protest. "This is way too much."

"Trust me, it's not enough." He argued.

"No way, I can't accept this." She told him.

"Hey," Shizuo smiled, giving her head a light, playful knock. "I broke your head. Please just take the damn phone."

Tamina found the rest of her protests fading away. She noticed there was something else inside the bag and when she pulled it out she realized it was a protective case with a floral design. Shizuo was about to ask if she liked it, but got his answer when she suddenly scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you so much."

Ever since that morning at Shinra's place he'd thought about it. If and when he'd get a chance to hold her again. And here the moment was. Though briefly surprised, he wasted no time, wrapping his arm around her in return. They stayed like this for a while, both enjoying the tight hug. When she finally started to pull away Shizuo let go, lingering but satisfied. He didn't expect her to press a hand to his chest, guiding him to lean back on the couch. He was so excited to see her scooting even closer when he sat back, eagerly lifting his arm to make a space for her. She took the invitation, settling right in the space, resting her head against his shoulder and chest. He hugged her to his side, surprised by how smoothly things were going and compliant his body was being today. He even hugged her in a bit tighter, letting his chin rest on top of her head as they got comfortable to just barely pay attention to the TV.

"So," Tamina broke the quiet, gesturing around. "Welcome to my job." She said jokingly. "Like I said, I usually take better care of things than this."

"I don't doubt that." He said.

"What do you do for work?" She asked him.

Shizuo hesitated a bit. "Well... I'm in collections."

Tamina tilted her head curiously. "How does that work?"

Unsure how to avoid it, Shizuo just admitted. "Well its debt collection. Essentially, my partner Tom does the talking and I do the 'enforcing.' I stick with him while he makes the rounds and protect the funds."

Tamina took a moment to process this, but it made total sense. She gave a nod of acknowledgment. "I can see that. I honestly thought you were a bar tender."  
"Most people do. I used to be. But look, I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. Especially after what you've seen." He told her. "I'm really not a violent person."

She didn't mean to look up at him with disbelief. She suppressed it the best she could, but considering the displays she'd seen in their short time knowing each other, it was a little surprising.

He could see the repressed skepticism in her face. It wounded him, but he knew he'd done nothing to show otherwise. His ever present temper and short nerves. His wild outburst with Izaya. The beating he'd given her assailants. The concussion she was recovering from that he himself had caused. Still, he tried to reason. "I know it seems like I'm this crazy, violent person, but I'm really just..." He found himself struggling, unsure of what he had meant to say. After a short pause and some thought he said. "Just a person who has a lot of trouble expressing himself."

Tamina noted his difficulty and nodded. "I can definitely relate." She told him. When he gave her a look she added. "Of course I can't throw street signs or beat people up, but that doesn't necessarily mean my coping mechanisms are better. There of plenty of ways someone can be self destructive."

He nodded at that, but didn't take much comfort in it. She sensed this so she tried to press on."So, is your brother like you?"

"Not at all." Shizuo gave a soft laugh, immediately shaking his head. "That's why he made something of himself."

"Not everyone can be a super star." She said eyeing him, noting his ever present habit of back-handedly criticizing himself. "And your parents?"

"Nope." He gave a slow head shake. "Just me."

She hugged a little closer into him to give some comfort. "How does it work?"

Shizuo scoffed a bit at that. She regarded it like it was some kind of special ability or super power. Most people did. It wasn't really as complicated as all that in his eyes. It was more like a misfortune. A curse. But feeling her closeness definitely made talking about it easier. "I don't really know. When I was younger I'd get mad and have crazy outbursts. Broke every part of my body at least a dozen times. I guess I broke so many times I just can't break anymore. Now I'm an adult, who has crazy outbursts and a body that doesn't break."

"It's just easy for you?" Tamina asked curiously. "Like, the street signs and stuff?"

Shizuo shrugged. "I barely notice I'm doing it to be honest."

Tamina gave a nod and silently marveled. To not even realize? The thought was so incredible.

"So, do you have any brothers or sisters?" Shizuo asked, changing the subject.

"Nope. Just me." Tamina said.

"Is your family in Japan?"

Tamina didn't answer right away. It was always so awkward when anyone brought up her family.

With the change in her and hesitation, Shizuo got the hint. "If it's a sore subject," He began to back track.

"No." Tamina immediately said. "It's okay." She assured him. He'd been so honest with her. Surely she owed him some sincerity in return. "My mother and step father are in Shibuya where I grew up, but we're not close. My dad passed away when I was nine."

"Oh, wow, I'm so sorry." Shizuo said.

"No, it's okay." She told him. It was so long ago, it didn't hold the sting that it used to. She tried to recall the last time she'd talked about it. She distinctly remembered avoided the subject of her parents ever since she left Shibuya. Even the roommate she'd had when she'd first left home at eighteen had never known too much about her family. With a bitterness she recalled the only person she'd really opened up to about her home life at length was Nakura... Or rather Izaya...

She remembered it so vividly. The first time she'd let him in and they'd talked quietly through the night until sunrise. The first time she'd allowed the floodgates to open and let the words flow. It had been so liberating in that moment. Yet now it caused nothing but pain. She'd given such a deep part of herself to someone with nothing to show for it. Nothing but regret. She felt pained and unsure if she could go through it again, but after peeking up at Shizuo's face it dissipated. His apologetic expression made her feel so safe. It was a strange moment for it, but she felt an immense clarity. Something about his look made it so clear. She'd dreaded the next time she might have to let someone in. Izaya had made her so deeply regret it that she didn't think she'd like anyone that close ever again. But Shizuo wasn't anything like Izaya. That was becoming so clear. "It's always been hard for me to talk about my family. Or anything, really." She admitted. "But I feel I could tell you just about anything." The last time she had said words like that, it had been to Nakura, and her life came to a rapid unwinding shortly after. But she reminded herself again that Nakura was just Izaya. And Izaya certainly wasn't Shizuo...

He didn't miss a beat. "You could." He said right away. Then added. "If you wanted to..."

Tamina thought on it a short while longer. Then she nestled into him further, immediately comforted by the feeling of his arm hooked around her and hugging tighter in response. "My dad was my hero." She started, idly drawing patterns on his vest with the hand curled to his chest. "We were super close. His name was Tamaki. Everyone always thought that was the cutest thing. 'Tamaki and Tamina Takeda.'" She said it affectionately, a smile creeping onto her face. Shizuo found himself smiling too. It had a nice ring to it. She continued. "We looked just alike too. I had his hair, his eyes." She ran a hand through her hair unconsciously. "He always had two jobs. He never finished school so they were mostly skill based. Like mechanics or ventilation. A lot of hard work and labor. But he still managed to do everything he could with me. He was the 'fun dad.' We were always going somewhere and doing something. He was always going on about 'making memories.' He didn't have any family besides me so I was his everything." Then there was a change in her. "My mom started having an affair. They separated when I was eight. I remember feeling like it was so unfair. My mom just uprooting our whole life and my dad having to leave. Everything in my life changing. He wanted to take custody of me but with the hours he worked compared to my mother, a court never felt like it was 'the best thing for me.'" She said, surprising herself with the bitterness in her voice. She paused briefly, but continued when she remembered Shizuo's eyes on her. "I only saw him on weekends after that, but we made the best out of it, considering the short time we had left. Weekend trips to the beach or the mountains... Biking. Hiking. Silly things like guided tours of historical sights or horseback riding trails while we listened to educational audio tapes." Shizuo was looking at her so intently that the last of her words started to stick. "A year later he was gone. He was in a rush one day for work and didn't use a cross walk. Such a stupid little mistake. Just shows how quick life can be. Here one second. Gone the next..." She trailed off.

Shizuo didn't need her to explain further. With the busy city traffic he could easily deduce the circumstances of her fathers death. He shook his head regrettably. "I'm sorry. He sounds like he was a really great person."

"The best." Tamina clarified with a soft smile.

"Thanks for telling me." He said. "And I meant what I said. You could tell me anything if you wanted to."

She hugged tighter to him, turning her face to bury it in his shirt, silently enjoying the smell of him. "I know..." She said softly. "You too... With me, I mean."

"Yeah. I know." He replied.

Again, they were content to stay just like this. Quietly tangled in each other. They tried to pay attention to the shows on TV but both were happily lost in thought. It wasn't until Shizuo's phone rang that they shifted, Shizuo leaning to one side to retrieve his phone from his pocket. "Sorry." He told her.

"No worries." She insisted, leaning away.

"Excuse me." Shizuo told her after checking to see who was calling. It was Tom. "Hey, what's up?" He answered.

"Hey." Toms voice came from the other end. "How did it go?"

"It's going great." Shizuo replied, a hinting in his voice.

Tom did the math and quickly concluded. "Oh! Oh... Sorry man. Didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"It's fine." Shizuo assured him. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, sorry to bug you, especially after we've finished up for the day. But the boss called and he's having some trouble at the office. There's a mark hanging around and getting kinda loud. He asked if we could stop by ASAP."

Shizuo let out a long sigh. "Yeah, sure. I'll meet you over there."

"Thanks a lot man." Tom said. "See you soon."

With Shizuo's responses and less than excited expression, Tamina concluded he'd probably have to leave. "Heading out?" She asked.

He tucked his phone back in his pocket. "Unfortunately." They shared a look. He wasn't eager to leave at all. In fact, he couldn't think of anything he wanted more than to completely ignore Toms call and stay right here with her. But duty called and he definitely made it a point to stay on his bosses good side. "Oh!" He was suddenly remembered. "Here." He pulled out his wallet, opening it to retrieve a small something.  
Tamina stared at the familiar slip of paper he took out and offered to her. She took it, holding it delicately between two fingers and reading it just to be sure. 'Pay attention to the signs. The universe is speaking to you.' Her eyes immediately found his. "How did you-?" She started to question.

"It was in your old phone case." He explained. "I figured it might be important to you if you were holding onto it."

Finally something gave way and Tamina couldn't contain herself any longer. Shizuo saw her leaning in and felt like he should mirror the action, but with his nerves the best he could do was remain frozen where he was. Her lips caught his, encouraging a heated kiss. He tried to reciprocate, but she set the pace a bit too fast and he couldn't quite keep up. Tamina paused when his lips fell out of sink with hers. She tried again, pressing back in to try and entice him more. He was certainly responsive, but again he seemed to have some trouble.

With that Tamina withdrew completely so she could see his face. She wondered if perhaps she'd misread some signals or jumped the gun here. There was a heavy red in his face but his eyes held hers in a kind of shy wonder. She felt a soft realization come over her. A wide smile came to her face with the sudden, unexpected thrill this notion caused. She'd never been the more experienced partner and it gave her a surprising excitement. She re situated herself on the couch, standing on her knees to get closer to his face. She placed her palms on his cheeks and guided him to close the distance between them again.

Shizuo's heart pounded as her mouth found his again, moving much slower than it had before. His eyes drifted shut, finding it much easier to predict her lip movements at this pace. Some might consider it painfully slow, but it was truly an exploration for him and he appreciated the extra time she allowed him to learn. He'd just begun to master the pattern of her movements when her tongue swiped across his lip, nearly causing him to fall out of sync with her yet again. She pressed though, picking up the pace just the slightest bit, licking and sucking his lip to encourage him to be a little bolder. Her hands held his face securely to hers. When his tongue finally crept out to meet hers, the excitement nearly overwhelmed him. The sensation. The taste of her. He was on cloud nine.

Feeling like she might be pressing too much, Tamina finally ended the kiss, slowing her lips and leaning away. It was a moment before Shizuo's eyes reopened. As if he wasn't sure things would still be as they were when they did... But, to his relief, they were. She was still there, right in front of him. His heart was still throbbing and his fists were still clutched nervously in his lap. "Thanks..." He said in a breath, unsure of what else he should say after such an intense moment.

Tamina let out a soft laugh, looking back into his dazed and blushing face she still held in her hands. Considering the scope of emotions she'd seen in it in times before, seeing him like this gave her such a rush. He was so, unfathomably strong, yet for her, he was weak. She leaned in once more, pulling his face in to meet her when she did, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

In that moment, Shizuo briefly contemplated the amazing power this girl held over him. He was sure there was nothing she could ask of him in this moment that he wouldn't do. No mountain he wouldn't scale, no obstacle he wouldn't face. Anything she wanted. He'd often wondered deep in envious thought what falling in love could feel like. He silently concluded it must feel something like this.

Finally she pulled away and stood off the couch, offering a hand as if he needed her assistance to stand. He smiled back, seizing any opportunity to hold her hand in his but stood just fine on his own. They quietly walked to the front door and both felt the disappointment of their impending good byes. When they reached the door Shizuo didn't wait. "So, my work schedule is kind of crazy and I know you're still getting better, but I really wanna see you again." He said, forcing himself to speak fast so his nerves wouldn't catch up.

Tamina smiled at that, leaning against the door frame. "Yeah, me too."

"Maybe we could go out next week? After you get the staples out." He found himself adding. "If you want to..."

"Definitely." She said right away.  
"Like," He couldn't help himself from going on. "A date..."

Tamina's smile became wider. It was like he didn't want to leave any miscommunication. Like he wanted to be sure. It was so cute. "I'd love that." She said to ease him.

A date. She wanted to go on a date. A real date. With him. Shizuo hoped he looked calm because internally he was reeling. He'd never been comfortable enough with someone for things to progress this far and he'd honestly thought he'd never be able to. Not with the way he was... But Tamina Takeda seemed to look past all that, and was ready to take a chance on him. Even after what she'd seen. Even after what he'd done. She'd seen some pretty ugly sides of him in their short time knowing each other, yet here she stood, wearing that smile.

"One for the road?" She asked with a sly nod toward him and arch of the brow.  
He wasn't sure of her meaning at first, but caught on quickly. "Yes, please." He said, leaning down.

He was so damn tall and she was so...not, she realized with a smile, but he leaned down and she pressed up on her toes, closing the space between them once again. She pressed her lips softly to his, making sure to move extra slow and steady in a good bye kiss. He followed her movements much easier, remembering the pattern of her lips from earlier. It was brief and sweet and they both soon parted.

"I'll text you." Tamina told him with a smirk, pulling away.

"Please do." He told her stepping out the door to depart. He walked backwards a few paces to watch her a little longer, then turned to walk the rest of the hall to the elevators.

Tamina watched him leave, leaning against the door for support. She was rather light on her feet at the moment.

 

After getting her new phone set up Tamina briefly chatted with the twins in the early evening. They insisted the exams went fine and would be spending the night enjoying the 'sights of Ikebukuro' to celebrate. Though she didn't love the idea, Tamina couldn't really argue and especially didn't protest the idea of avoiding sorting out the kitchen to prepare dinner. She relented with little fight with the promise that they'd return at a decent hour and be incredibly careful.

Tamina spent the evening relaxing mostly. She had plenty of pre made boxed dinners for just such an occasion and enjoyed some shameless reality TV. When she grew bored in the living room she migrated to her bed. Despite the somewhat euphoric feeling she'd been lost in most of the day, the ever present envelope on her dresser stuck out the moment she entered the room. Her eyes found it right away, despite her efforts and it began to stain her mood.

She forced herself to walk past it and plop onto her bed. She laid on the mattress, rolling her new phone in her hand admiring it. The screen on was so much bigger than her old one. She decided to test it out, dialing Kyohei for a video call. She figured he'd be with the rest of the group.

"Hey!" She heard him answer. There was a slight lag but his camera eventually turned on and she could see him shakily on the other end, obviously in the passenger seat of the van. "You got a new phone?"

Before she could answer Kyohei grunted, Erika's palm shoving his face to the side so she could squeeze into the picture. "LC, my love! How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks." Tamina said.

"Settle something for us." Erika started. "Who wins in a straight up fist fight? Yusuke Urameshi or Ichigo Kurosaki?" She asked.

"That's bullshit!" Though not in the shot, Tamina could hear Walker shouting from the back of the van. "Tamina is always biased toward Yu Yu Hakusho! You can't get a fair opinion from her."  
"This is true." Tamina admitted.

"Fine." Erika groaned.

"Will you get off?" Kyohei told her irately, swatting her away.

"Put your damn seat belt on!" Saburo shouted.

Tamina smiled watching her friends and their usual play. She couldn't get better soon enough. She was eager to get back to her place right in the middle of that van and enjoy their silly company. With that, she remembered why she had called and her face fell slightly. "Hey guys." She said.

"Whats up?" Kyohei asked, having finally shoved Erika into the back again.  
"I'm ready to talk about some stuff." She blurted it out.

There was a silence on the other end. Kyohei seemed to look around at everyone then exchanged a look with Saburo. The van changed route and came to a stop shortly there after. Tamina could hear the engine turn off and the keys idly dangling in the ignition. There was some loud shuffling and she could see Kyohei adjusting the camera. When everything was finally still again she could see all of them, Kyohei having mounted his phone on the dash. Erika and Walker leaned in from the back to come into better view and Saburo was in the drivers seat as usual. Tamina gave a small wave, feeling a little silly now that she felt like she had an audience.

"Whenever you're ready." Kyohei said, re situating himself in the passenger seat to get comfortable.

Tamina let out a long sigh, propping her phone against the light on her nightstand. Then she resettled on her bed, crossing her legs and wrapping her blankets around herself. "I'm kind of...struggling." She didn't know where or how to start. She wasn't even sure how much she wanted to tell them. She just knew after the conversation they'd had the other day, she couldn't go on keeping huge parts of herself from them. "There was someone in my life who hurt me for a long time."

"How do you mean?" Erika asked in a much more serious tone, eyes tight.

"That doesn't matter." Tamina tried to avoid it.

"It really does." Erika insisted, clearly angered by the prospect of anyone hurting Tamina in any way. And considering Tamina aversion to discussing it, Erika could easily guess it might not be 'hurt' in the conventional sense.

"It doesn't. And I don't want you guys getting involved because I'm already taking care of it." She insisted.

"What do you mean by 'taking care of it'?" Kyohei asked.

"Izaya is going to help me. I'm not sure exactly sure what I'm going to do yet, but I feel like it's my responsibility to make sure the problem gets resolved. So I'm going to make sure it does."

Everyone shared the uninspired look Tamina had expected. "You're getting involved with that fuck boy again?" Erika voiced their disapproval.

"I know. I know." Tamina whined, pulling the blankets around herself further momentarily hiding her face. "He's the worst." Her voice was muffled. "But to be fair he's the one who got me out of the situation to begin with. And I need his resources."

Kyohei scratched the back of his head. "And you're positive this isn't something we could help you with?"

Tamina finally unwrapped her face and let the blankets loosely drape over her shoulders again, giving a slow nod.

Kyohei sighed. He was very eager to know more about her circumstances, especially if they were getting her involved with the info broker again. But he had a suspicion that Tamina was much more sensitive to the situation than she was letting on, and he hated prying with such personal things. "I don't like it." Was all he found himself saying, sitting back and folding his hands behind his head to try and think.

Tamina wished she had it in her to explain everything. But, like with Shizuo, she feared what he friends would do with all the information. If they got involved they might involve the Dollars too, and they had no idea what kind of bad news that would be. Remembering Shizuo suddenly, she started to say. "There's one more complication in all of this." She had everyone attention again. She chewed her lip momentarily in thought but just came out with it. "I've kind of gotten myself involved with Shizuo Heiwajima too..."

Everyone in the van shifted uncomfortably. Saburo let out an agonized groan, slumping back into his seat and face palming. "Fucking plot twist of the year."

"Oh man," Walker looked equally surprised. "That was like chapter 85 of Shingeki no Kyojin."

"And I'm guessing Shizuo doesn't know about Izaya." Kyohei concluded.

"He knows I had history with him, and he's actually surprisingly okay with it." Tamina said.

"But does he know what's going on now?" Erika pressed. She got her answer from Tamina's pained expression. "That's not good."

Tamina sighed. "I know. I like Shizuo a lot." She started to explain. "But there are things that I'm not ready to talk about just yet. We're taking our time and I really like it. Ideally, I'd like to get this whole thing resolved as quickly as possible, and we'll talk it when things get more serious." She paused herself, considering the alternative. "If they get more serious, rather..."

There was a long silence. Tamina looked up and everyone in the van seemed to be waiting for Kyohei to speak. As if he'd set the tone and they'd follow, as they did with most things. Feeling the pressure Kyohei let out a breath and finally spoke. "All I can say is, just, try and do the right thing here." Tamina gave him a look and he continued. "I know, I know, that seems obvious, right? But I mean it. There are a lot of things that can go wrong. With a lot of this. And the likelihood of wrongness drastically increases in matters that Izaya is involved in. Don't lose your head."

The van gang seemed to share a nod of agreement. Tamina nodded in return. "I won't." She promised.

"Sooooo," Erika's usual cheer and lewdness returned. She climbed into the front to come closer into view, hardly minding as she plopped herself on Kyohei's lap.

He grunted when she did. "Excuse me."

"You're excused." She told him simply, leaning into the camera as if this gave her and Tamina more privacy. "How far have you gotten with Shizu-chan?" The boys in the van groaned. "Hey shut up!" She snapped. "She's ruining my yaoi head canons. I've spent years fantasizing about who would be the top and bottom with those two. The least she can do is tell me if she fooled around with him." She leaned into the camera again, lowering her voice. "Is he huge? He's huge, isn't he? Oh God, I knew it."

Tamina's face grew more and more red but Kyohei came to her rescue, as usual. "On that note!" He picked Erika up in the cramped space.

"I deserve to know!" Erika demanded as she put up a half hearted struggle, followed by a yelp when she was roughly tossed back into the middle row of seats.

"We're gonna take off." He said when he came to sit back down. "Keep us posted on what's going on with that whole 'situation.'"

Tamina smiled, and gave her friends a wave. "Will do."

"Want us to come visit tomorrow?" Walker asked.

"I have to see what the twins are doing. But I'll text you guys."

"Sounds good. Goodnight." The phone was jostled a bit before Kyohei ended the video call.


	11. Aggressive Approach

"Last one."

Tamina recoiled at the snapping sound the daunting staple removing instrument Dr. Kishitani wielded made. She winced with the mild discomfort that followed from him finagling the last staple out of her head, but immediately after that it was over, to her relief.

"All done." Shinra tossed the the tool onto a metal tray on the coffee table, then took his small pen light from his pocket and examined the area one final time. "Looks good. All healed. Quite a scar, but your hair conceals it so you might wanna consider that if you ever go for the bald look."  
Tamina breathed a soft laugh with that. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You might be tender in that area for a while. It's common though. Especially with one of Shizuo's blows." He chuckled, removing his gloves and collecting the rest of his tools.

"You've known Shizuo a long time, huh?" Tamina asked, fixing her hair and sitting back against the couch.

"Oh yeah. Since we were kids." Shinra replied.

"Has he always been..." She trailed off, unsure how to put it.

"A complete lunatic?" Shinra finished for her. Despite Tamina's disapproving look he continued. "Yup. Ever since I've known him at least. Once he gets worked up there's no off switch. Just complete annihilation."

Tamina gave a nod at that, eyes falling to her lap while Shinra continued to clean up. She absent mindedly picked at her nails while she thought. Despite what he'd shown, Shizuo had assured her that he didn't mean to be a violent person. And considering her building affection for him, she desperately wanted to believe that.

"Speaking of getting Shizuo worked up," Shinra began again in a much different tone. "Do you mind if I ask you about something, Miss Takeda?"

Tamina was surpised, blinking curiously, but nodded right away. "Of course."

"Izaya Orihara..." Shinra started. He studied the uncomfortable shift in Tamina's face. He couldn't quite place it. Somewhat pained. Possibly irate? Certainly provoked. He went on. "I've known him for a while too."

"Unfortunate." Tamina commented, turning her gaze away.

Shinra shrugged at that. "You give him too much credit. He's easy enough to crack if you try." He finally finished up his tidying and pulled over a stool from the kitchen area, perching himself on it. "How did you and Izaya become acquainted?"

"Is there a reason we have to talk about Izaya?" Tamina asked uncomfortably.

Shinra wore an eerie smile but spoke in a warning tone. "Because if I find out you're just one of his little pawns trying to play Shizuo I might have to ever so carefully slice your pretty face right off."

There was a long silence. Tamina stared in a mild horror, hoping the young doctor would follow with his usual goofiness or a 'Just kidding! Just kidding!'. But he didn't. He just held the smile and stared right back at her, patiently waiting for her answer.

"Well," Tamina finally began nervously. "I'm not..."

"Great!" Shinra said, slapping his knees as he got up, his usual friendliness seemingly back.

Tamina involuntarily jumped when he did and watched with a new wariness as he circled around the dining area into the kitchen. "I'm gonna make some tea, want some?" He asked.

Tamina just nodded.

At her shock Shinra gave a laugh as he went about preparing tea. "Sorry, sorry! Didn't mean to startle you that much. I can just be protective of my friends. I don't have many." He told her.

He seemed so warm and approachable again. Tamina was surprised to say the least. At least Shizuo had a loyal friend... "I met Izaya in a chatroom some time ago." She decided to confess. "I was having trouble in an abusive home and he claimed he had a sister in grade school that was terminally ill..."

Shinra let out an audible breath and gave a disapproving shake of the head, but didn't seem overly shocked by the statement. "Sounds like Izaya."

"We kind of bonded over that and became really close." There was a brief pause as if Tamina realized something. "I thought we did, at least." She corrected.

"Let me guess," Shinra said, bringing over the tea. "Izaya comes into the picture. Chaos ensues."

"Something like that." She admitted, taking the cup he offered as he sat next to her on the couch. "But, my life wasn't much better before that... And I ended up here." She took a sip. "It's weird. I feel like because of him, I might finally be where I'm supposed to be. Does that make sense?"

"Do you feel like you owe Izaya something for that?" Shinra asked, nursing his own cup.

"No." She said right away. In a certain sense she was grateful, but he'd put her through hell to get to this point. She assured herself she didn't owe him anything for that.

Shinra seemed to be thinking as he drank his tea. "Like I said, I've known Izaya for a long time. Long enough to know when he's acting out of the ordinary."

Tamina skeptically arched a brow at that. "Ordinary, huh?"

"Okay, exceedingly out of the ordinary." Shinra corrected. "Can I give you some advice?" When Tamina nodded he went on. "If you're serious about Shizuo, you need to stay away from Izaya. At all costs. It'll end in disaster, no matter what. I promise you." There was a brief pause as Shinra set his cup down on the coffee table. "That being said, I think Izaya likes you just as much as Shizuo does."

Tamina wasn't sure what to say to that. Shizuo's affection was certainly more obvious and what one might consider 'affection' from Izaya's end was certainly a stretch of the word. They each couldn't possibly have the same kind of feelings for her.

Tamina opened her mouth to question Shinra further but was startled when he suddenly burst. "Celty!" He bolted up from his spot enthusiastically.

Tamina looked to the living room door and saw the Headless Rider in her yellow neko helmet peeking in cautiously. She remembered the last time she'd seen Celty and immediately realized she was probably trying to avoid scaring her again. Tamina stood off the couch and quickly circled around to greet her. "Celty, I'm so sorry about the last time I was here." She started to apologize right away.

Celty flailed her arms and quickly pulled out her phone to quickly type a message. "No! No! I'm the one who's sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

"No, Celty." Tamina assured her. "What I did was beyond rude. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive!" Celty typed.

"Well," Tamina said. "I hope we can be better friends. I feel like I already know you so well from online."

"Definitely! You're always welcome here! How's your head?"

"All better it seems." She told her.

"Just yanked all the staples out myself!" Shinra chimed in. "Now where's my kiss?" He came in to embrace Celty who immediately stiffened and manifested some shadows to coil around Shinra and push him away.

 

 

Tamina spent a short while at Shinra and Celty's apartment getting to know her new friends. Once the initial eeriness faded she was surprised at how completely normal the couple was. Conversations became more fluid and the subjects and tones were so familiar. Tamina hadn't meant to see Celty as something other than human. And even though she technically wasn't, in all the best ways, she was. More than most people, in fact.

She left their apartment with promises of visiting again soon with the van gang. When she reached the ground floor her phone began to ring. Once she located it and checked the ID she smiled softly and answered. "Hey you."

She could hear the smile in Shizuo's voice on the other end. "Hey."

"Still at work?" She asked as she walked along the side walk.

"Just on break." He replied.

She smiled at that. Calling her on his lunch break? He was too cute. They were pretty friendly with texting at this point and they'd had a few phone conversations before but it was still fresh. She was surprised at how the little things could excite her.

"What are you up to?" He asked.

"I actually just got my staples removed." She told him.

"That's great. So you're all better?"

"Mhm. If you wanted to have that date after the girls' entrance ceremony this week..." She said, a giddy hinting in her tone.

"Sure!" He replied, overly eager.

She laughed at his enthusiasm, pausing as she waited for a street light to change. She was about to speak again when a car pulled up next to her a little too close for comfort. Her attention was drawn to it and the rear door opened. Her brow became tight as the raven haired man inside wore his usual cocky grin, patting the seat inside for her.

"Can I... call you back?" She asked Shizuo and she stared daggers at Izaya.

"Oh, yeah, Sure." Shizuo said. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye" She said and hastily hung up. "What?" She demanded irately.

"Get in, that's what." Izaya said rather cheerfully.

"I don't think so." She said and moved to begin walking again.

"Didn't you say you needed my help with your little problem?" He called to her.

She halted, inwardly groaning. Damn him. With great reluctance she turned back and climbed into the car, shutting the door behind her. They were underway immediately after. "Kururi and Mairu's entrance ceremony is this week." She said, eyes fixed out the window.

"Enjoy." He replied with little interest.

Her head snapped around. "You're not going?"

"Why would I?" He asked placing his elbow against the door and propping his head on his fist.

"Because they're your little sisters." She told him, the irritation in her voice building.

"Yeah, no thanks." He said simply.  
She scoffed. "If you don't give a damn about them why do you pay me so much to look after them?"

"The way those two are, how long do you think it'll be before they're getting into mischief and Raira is looking for someone to call? I'm essentially paying you to be their emergency contact instead of me. I'm too busy for their nonsense. That's all."

"Alright, you can let me off at the next light." She told him curtly, turning away and readying herself for a swift exit at the next traffic stop.

"You might want to hear this before you go." Izaya started, causing her to look back. "Turns out your very well regarded step father is leading quite the double life. This, I'm sure you knew to some degree. But the rabbit hole runs a bit deeper than we thought." He tossed an folder onto the seat between them,

Tamina shifted uncomfortably as it nudged her, hesitant to examine it's contents.

"Everything I dug up. There are several chatroom's he visits frequently with a number of user names. I can always track him by the IP address though. I had Namie bait him a few times and he's certainly a predator. I'd like to note that some of our personas were quite young." Izaya went on.

Tamina felt the familiar heaviness in her chest. The one she'd gradually buried since the last time she'd seen Izaya. "So now what?" She asked him, looking out the window again.

"If it were me, I'd probably take a more aggressive approach." He began, causing her to move anxiously again. He smirked at this. "But I know you too well. You're reluctant to really hurt anyone, regardless of how much they've hurt you. You wanna take the high road. Do it the right way."

Tamina rolled her eyes. She still hated when he did that. When he acted like he knew her inside and out. "And...?" She said, skepticism heavy in her voice.

"You wanna talk to these girls..." He replied.

Tamina was silent for a short while. Maybe she could get through to one of them. Maybe they wanted to be helped. At least one of these girls had to be waiting for someone to reach out to them... Indeed, that was the best solution she could come up with for the moment. It was with that that she realized underneath all the built resentment and tension, he did know her.

He broke her thoughts, gesturing to the envelope between them again. "You'll find that information here as well."

"Thank you." She replied softly, unsure of what else to say.

"You're welcome" He said simply.

With the distraction of her heavy thoughts she hadn't even realized where they were. A quick check out the window and she realized they were pulling up to her apartment. When the car came to a stop in front of the building she looked to him curiously. "That's it?" She asked, clearly unsure. He was usually more mischievous and things with him were rarely as they seemed.

"What?" He asked. "I can't just give you a ride home?"

She was surprised to say the least. He'd been almost...helpful lately... It was rather unlike him and past experience had her favoring caution and skepticism. "Thanks." She said quietly, grabbing the folder and reaching for the door handle.

Suddenly she felt him scoot over and press into her. She turned back and he came closer, gently pushing her back against the door. "And a kiss." He said, his face closing the distance between them.

Tamina could feel her body heating up in an all too familiar way. His handsome face was so close and she could feel his breath on her. He made her ache and her body nearly betrayed her, head lulling to the side and inching closer to meet him. At the last moment though, she came to her senses. His lips stopped just a hair away from hers when her hand quickly came to his chest to halt him.

She pressed back further against the door to gain more space and meet his gaze. The look on his face wasn't one she'd seen before. His usual cheerful facade was completely absent and there was a dark irritation in his eyes. It caused her heart to sink and nerves to jump all at once. She awkwardly fumbled with the door handle and pushed out of the car. "Sorry, I have to..." She didn't even finish her words before she shut the door behind her and hurried inside her building.

 

The apartment was empty and quiet. Tamina lay back against her bed staring at the ceiling. She couldn't quite place how she felt. Part of her was somewhat proud. She had told herself she would resist Izaya the next time she saw him, no matter what. Despite her efforts in the past, he was always able to overcome her senses. But that wasn't the case today. There should also be a sense of triumph, she knew. The kind you might get when you can finally turn down a bad habit. This feeling was noticeable absent though. Instead, she felt almost guilty. This was a huge red flag in her mind.

She tried to shake it off, sitting up to finally open the folder she'd carelessly tossed on her bed. She peeled it open and shuffled through its contents. The first few pages seemed to be printed text and chatroom conversations. She quickly tossed them to the side, reluctant to read them. Then she found pictures of the familiar girls. On the back of the prints there were names, basic information, email addresses and phone numbers. She found herself surprised at the details he'd managed to obtain but reminded herself that this was Izaya's profession.

After some heavy deliberation and soul searching, Tamina decided to make contact. The first number she called went to voice mail. She hung up before the tone. What kind of message could she leave on such a subject? She decided to press on, calling the next number.

"Hello?" The girl on the other line picked up.

"Good afternoon. Miss..." Tamina breifly paused, scanning the paper in front of her for a name. "Chiba..! How are you?"

"Fine thanks.." The girl replied, clearly unsure. "How can I help you?"

"I just had a few questions for you, regarding your swim team." Tamina explained.

"Okay..." The girl said, still unconvinced.

"You see..." Tamina began hesitantly. "I have some concerns about your couch. Mr. Monsuta-" There was a sudden disconnect on the other line. "Hello?" Tamina asked. "Hello?" She checked the screen and realized the call had indeed been ended.

Silently, she looked through the papers and began to call the next girl. According to the information Izaya had dug up, this girls was top of her class and on her way to a scholarship for her impressive swimming career. Tamina waited patiently as the phone dialed out over and over.

"Hello?" The girls voice came on the other end.

"Good afternoon Miss Sazuki."

"Good afternoon." The girl replied politely. "May I ask who's calling?"

"My name is Tamina Takeda. I'm sorry, you don't know me, but I felt like I should reach out to you." Tamina tried to speak quickly, feeling her window of opportunity closing.

"Is this a prank call?" The girl on the other end asked.

"I have some questions about your swim coach, Toshiro Monsuta." Tamina blurted.

There was a long silence on the other end. Tamina began to think this girl had hung up as well but she finally answered. "What do you want to know?"

"I know it's crazy to have someone call you randomly like this, but I just wanted to help. I know what kind of person he is." Tamina could feel her heart beat picking up with her nerves.

"I appreciate your concern, but I don't need help." The girl replied.

Tamina was taken by surprise. This girl didn't need her help? How could that be? "Maybe I'm not being clear... I was in a similar situation with him and-"

"No," The girl interrupted. "I completely understand, and I do appreciate it but I'm fine."

"You don't have to deal with this." Tamina urged her, a little more desperately then she meant to. "I can help. If you and I and some of the other girls exposed him-"

The girl cut her off again. "Listen," She sounded irritated now. "My swimming career is very important to me. I can't do anything that would jeopardize that. You know who he is, right? His reputation? He's the guy next store. The star defense attorney of Shibuya. When something like this happens people never say 'Wow, that man did that?' They say, 'Wow, why would that girl say that?' I'm not trying to ruin my reputation and possibly life by going public with this. I only have to deal with it for a year."

Now Tamina was silent. It was as if she was listening to her fourteen year old self. It was true. A man as well regarded as him would never be suspected of being a predator. Even if she could make a case against him it would likely fall apart given his profession and resources. And this girl was smart enough to know that too.

"Miss Takida, or Takido, or whatever. Again, thank you for the concern but I'd appreciate it if you didn't drag me into this." The girl said with a tone a finality and the line went dead shortly after.

Tamina tossed her phone onto the bed. Her brow was tight as she looked over the other girls, fanning their pictures out on her bed. Only the second girl she'd spoken to and she felt completely defeated. It was a huge risk, going after someone like her step father. If this girl knew it, the others likely did too. Hell, he had probably made that clear. They all probably wanted to just get through it and move on with their lives because they felt powerless to stop it.. Just go on and let the vicious cycle continue. Tamina's heart sank when she came to a realization. That's exactly what she had done...

She jumped when her bedroom door was pushed open and Kururi peaked in. "I'm home." She said.

Tamina quickly shoved everything back into the folder and wiped a tear that had threatened to breach her eyelid. "Hey!" She choked out, trying to gain some composure. "Where's Mairu?"

Kururi eyed her suspiciously. "At her dojo. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course." Tamina said cheerfully, climbing off her bed. "Let me make you something to eat."

 

 

"-the second such case this month. The killer, dubbed "Hollywood" by local media, followed the same MO, this time appearing in a Merman like costume..."

Tamina stared intently at the news report. Her eyes were fixed on the flickering TV in the dark room while Kururi lay across the couch with her head in her lap. Kururi peeked an eye open when the stroking of her hair stopped and reached up to lightly tap her distracted care givers hand.

Tamina blinked when her attention was drawn back then resumed stroking Kururi's hair. The quiet twin settled, resting her eyes again. Tamina let out a soft chuckle. These two were becoming so spoiled, but she knew she had no one to blame but herself. Still, she enjoyed it.

The news continued on and Tamina became lost in thought with Kururi resting in her lap. She thought about the twins and how much they meant to her, even after such a short time. With bitterness, her thoughts shifted to her step father and the girls she had spoken to today. It pained her to think they felt like they had no way out. She could try making contact with the others later but the discouraging conversations she had earlier left her reluctant.

Tamina glanced down at the young brunette in her lap. She swiped her hair behind her ear, tenderly running her fingers along the side of her face. Though she grew up with no siblings, she knew sisterly love had to feel something like this. She'd do anything for these girls. It was this thought that caused her to cling to her current predicament, despite the pain it caused.

"Kururi?" She found herself breaking the silence.

"Mmm?" Kururi replied in a lazy hum.

"I know it hasn't been long, but I love you both." She confessed.

"We know..." Kururi replied softly.

"If someone hurt you..." Tamina trailed off, the thought stinging her more than she expected.

"No one can hurt us." Kururi assured her, her tone unchanged.

Tamina knew that was likely. They were better equip and skilled to deal with this crazy world than most. Certainy more than she was. Still, comfort didn't come. Tamina still felt lost. "If someone was hurting me," She began, unsure of her words. "What would you do?" She asked.

Kururi seemed to think on it for a moment, but just a moment. "Kill them." She said bluntly, eyes never leaving the TV.

Tamina sat in a soft silence. "Just, kill them?"

"Yup." Kururi gave a nod. "Because we love you too."

Tamina's eyes shifted back to the TV, the news filling the white noise of the room. "That simple, huh?"

"Mhm." Kururi confirmed.

 

 

Tamina found herself sitting on her bed in silence again in the late evening hours. The folder lay next to her. She glanced over and peeled open the cover, scanning over one of the printed chatroom conversations.

'Good evening'

'Hello.'

'How old are you?'

'Thirteen.'

Tamina grimaced, scanning down a bit further, skipping over a few lines.

'What are you wearing?'

'My night clothes.'

'Are you wearing panties?'

Tamina shoved the folder shut. She flopped back against her bed, eyes tightly shut. What the hell was she supposed to do? She didn't know what caused her to reach for her phone or to dial the number that she did.

"It's been a while since you called me this late." Izaya's voice came from the other end with an obvious grin.

"Earlier," Tamina began, ignoring him completely. "When you said I don't want to hurt people that have hurt me... Do you think that makes me more human, or less?"

She couldn't imagine how widely Izaya was grinning on the other end. "Who's to say? The 'humanly' thing to do is so subjective..." He replied.

"What do you think?" She asked in a more sincere tone than he expected.

"I think..." Izaya found himself answering slowly. "You're just the right amount of human."

There was a pause as Tamina pondered on that. He was somewhat of an expert on the matter. Was she right or was she wrong? Was there truly some kind of medium that a human had to balance to be considered strictly good or bad?

"I'm guessing things didn't go too well?" Izaya asked.

"None of the girls I contacted wanted my help." She replied softly. "Why wouldn't they want help?"

"Did you?" Izaya asked right away. Tamina opened her mouth to answer but he cut her off. "Why didn't you talk to your mother about it for so long?"

"He had a good reputation, and I was afraid she wouldn't believe me..." She said.

"Seems like as good a reason as any..." Izaya confirmed.

"But-" Tamina started defensively.

"And when you did tell her," Izaya cut her off. "What did she say?"

There was another long silence. Tamina could hear her mothers voice clearly. 'You can't just go making accusations like that.'

"As I recall, she wasn't entirely supportive." Izaya finally spoke. "Now that I think about it, she seemed more concerned about his reputation and career rather than your safety. You think any of these girls' families would be any more receptive, given who Mr. Monsuta is? "

Tamina was quiet on the other end. There was a whirlwind of emotions happening inside her. The only thing she knew for certain was that she had to stop this, no matter what. She couldn't just move on. She wouldn't be a coward again.

"You said you would take a more aggressive approach." She finally said.

"I would." Izaya said simply.

"Can you help me?" Tamina asked. There was a pause on the other end, so she decided to be more clear. "Can you help me resolve this? Aggressively?"

Izaya was smiling wildly on the other end. "Yes. I can."


	12. Meddling

Tamina shifted in her seat in the large auditorium. The commencement speeches at Raira's opening ceremony were all blending together now, each speaker drolling on and on. In her boredom she began to scan the crowds. Seat by seat she observed the other parents and guardians that filled the cluttered space. One face was noticeable absent though. 'Bastard..' She thought to herself. Izaya really hadn't bothered to show up...  
She caught sight of Mairu and Kururi at the front with the rest of the first years. Kururi paid attention to the speaker, but Mairu leaned back in her seat, waving excitedly at Tamina. Tamina suppressed a small laugh at her usual goofiness and made a small wave back.  
Tamina's phone chimed, the volume amplified in the silent crowd. She jumped at the noise, quickly fumbling through her bag to find it. The other parents in her row cast an annoyed glance, which she returned with an apologetic look of her own. She had meant to silence it before the ceremony began. Discretely she checked the text she had just received. Her embarrassment faded and a smile crept onto her face as she read the message.  
It read, "Hey, just making sure we're still on for later. Can't wait to see you." From Shizuo.  
Despite the stress she'd been under lately, he was always a comfort.

 

Tamina strode into the familiar cafe. They'd decided to meet at the first place they'd walked together. She found it incredible adorable that Shizuo would suggest it. She loved how sentimental and sweet he was. She found him sitting at a table, scrolling through his phone while he waited. It was the first time she'd seen him in anything besides his usual bar tender get up. He looked so casual, wearing jeans and a green track jacket. She just watched him for a moment, smiling.  
He looked up when he felt eyes on him and his face immediately lit up. "Hey!" He called to her. She approached and he stood. He found himself suddenly feeling awkward and flustered, as usual. Should he hug her? Go for a kiss? Were they at that point yet? The date hadn't even started and he was already lost.  
To his relief she stepped right up to him, standing on her tip toes to lean in. He bent down to meet her and her lips caught his in an eager kiss. It felt much smoother than his first attempts. He'd thought about it at least a hundred times since the last time he saw her. Wondering if he'd really get to be that close to someone again.  
She broke away, smiling at the sweet, dazed look on his face. "Sorry to keep you waiting." She told him.  
"No." He shook off the distracted look. "I just got here myself." He assured her. She sat across from him and he found himself lost again in her smile. It gave him such a calm and euphoric feeling. One he was still becoming acquainted with. He wished he had a picture of it. "Thanks for coming." He found himself saying in full gratitude.  
She gave him a funny look. "Why are you thanking me?"  
He shrugged. "Well, all things considered. I was a shy weirdo the first couple times we met. Then I threw a street sign at that flea right in front on you. Not to mention the massive head injury you got thanks to yours truly." He found himself averting his eyes, the sting of embarrassment still ever present.  
Tamina's smile never faded. "You're forgetting the parts where you helped me when I was lost, saving me from a gang of creeps and getting me to a doctor faster than any ambulance could." She reminded.  
"I still appreciate you giving me a chance." He said.  
"Always so hard on yourself." She observed teasingly.  
He allowed himself a small laugh. "Habit, I guess."  
"Well, I'm happy to be here." She told him.  
A short silence passed between them. She kept smiling at him and he finally felt a relaxed smile taking him too. He so enjoyed the way she made him feel.  
"So," She finally spoke again. "I guess you don't go on many dates?"  
"None, actually." He admitted.  
She looked surprised. "None at all?"  
He was a little embarrassed. "I've just never been comfortable enough with anyone. I've always tried to keep my distance considering..." He searched for the words. "How I... am..." He watched her as she studied him. "I know. You probably think I'm even more of a freak now."  
"No, no." She protested, reaching over to touch his hand on the table. To his relief she was smiling again. "I think you're an incredibly considerate person." She told him sincerely. "And I'm even happier to hear that I'm the person you're comfortable enough with."  
He was so happy to hear her say that. Beyond happy. Over the moon, in fact. She was always so understanding. He never thought there would be someone who would try to understand him. Someone who'd give him the benefit of the doubt. It was this fear, among others, that always kept him at arms length from everyone. He didn't believe there could be anyone who could look him in the face and see anything but a monster. But here she was. With that smile... He turned his palm over to meet hers and grasped her hand in his.

 

They spent some time in that cafe, sipping coffee and talking about just about everything. How they both grew up, Kasuka's recent movie endeavors, their friends. Shizuo found his words so fluid and his laughs so easy. This was certainly something he saw himself getting used to.  
Once they finished up there, they took a walk. Tamina had become better acquainted with Ikebukuro's busy streets but was still rather unfamiliar with the in's and out's of the city. Shizuo pointed out restaurants he enjoyed and the best places to catch street performers. The couple didn't go unnoticed. A well known man like Shizuo walking around and holding hands with a pretty pint sized girl was something that provoked a lot of attention. Under normal circumstances, this would probably piss him off to no end. Today though, he barely noticed. He was too caught up in the uncharacteristic way Tamina made him feel. He hardly even felt himself. Which, at least to him, was a good thing.  
Eventually they came upon a park. Shizuo hadn't intended to stop there but Tamina found the large open green of it's field far too inviting. She took the lead, tugging him along. He watched curiously as she guided him onto the grass. Once they were a decent way onto the green she turned and laid right down, playfully patting the grass next to her.  
Shizuo laughed. "We're just gonna lay here?"  
"Why not?" She asked.  
He looked around. "Are we supposed to?"  
"Who's going to stop us? The park police?" She teased. They'd had their fun for the day, but by now she was dying to get closer to him. She craved it, and PDA certainly wasn't a concern.  
He couldn't find a reason not to, so he awkwardly crouched down and came to sit next to her in the grass. He was taken by surprised when she looped her arms around him and playfully tackled him into the grass. He was staggered by surprise rather than her strength but he fell back all the same. She nuzzled into his side, settling partially on top of him. She let one leg sling across him while she hugged around his neck. He always got a little anxious when she was this close, but his body acted in the right way, as it typically did with her. He hugged her, losing himself in how good it felt to have someone to hold. She laid her head against his chest and both settled in their contentment for some time.  
The clouds passed over head in large, billowy puffs, occasionally shading them from the brightness of the sun. A strong spring breeze would gust every so often, causing the trees to shift. Shizuo felt like he could fully absorb everything. The haze of irritation and anger that usual occupied him wasn't present at all for fog his senses. He could see every detail and ripple in the clouds and hear the rustle of every single leaf. It was like the world spun around him in a whole new clarity now that he had some modicum of peace in his life. Tamina just rested her eyes, content to just listen to him breath and feel his protective arms around her. It wasn't long ago that she was so unsure of everything. There was still so much uncertainty, she knew, but now, at least in this moment, she felt whole again.  
The sudden rush of this feeling caused her to lean up and look right in his face. His attention was immediately drawn from his distracted sky gazing back to her and her even closer proximity. He recognized the look on her face and had a feeling he knew where this was going. Her hand came to his face and she guided him to meet her halfway until her lips caught his. He was determined to do better at this this go around, but he still tried to start slow, allowing her to set the pace and guide him through the motions of their lips. Once he was comfortable with that his eyes lulled shut and he was able to melt into their slow make out.  
Tamina was just contemplating their next move when her phone began to ring. She leaned away, internally cursing whoever was calling. These distractions always seemed to come at the most inopportune moments. "Sorry." She huffed, digging through her bag.  
"Don't be." Shizuo said in a breath, still a little dazed.  
She didn't recognize the number calling. "Hello?" She answered.  
"Good afternoon. Miss Takeda?" The man on the other end asked.  
"Yes..?" Tamina answered, unsure.  
"Sorry to bother you. I'm calling from Raira."  
Tamina inwardly groaned. It was only the first day! What had the twins gotten into already? "Can I help you?" She asked anxiously.  
"I'm calling because of a small incident involving Kururi and Mairu Orihara today." He began.  
"I'm so sorry." She began to apologize. "Should I-"  
"No need to apologize." The man cut her off. "I'm afraid the girls were the victims of some bullying today."  
"Oh." Tamina couldn't contain the surprise in her voice. She hadn't expected to hear that at all.  
"It's just protocol to make you aware. We'd also like to assure you that the other girls have been dealt with appropriately. Raira doesn't condone or tolerate bullying of any kind." He told her.  
"Well, thank you for letting me know." She replied.  
"I apologize for the news. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Please enjoy the rest of your day." He said.  
"Thanks, you too." With that she hung up. She knew the twins were a bit eccentric, but she never imagined them being the targets of bullying.  
"Everything okay?" Shizuo asked, noting the change in her.  
"I'm so sorry. The twins had some trouble at school. I should go." She told him, regrettably.  
"Oh. That's okay." He said, leaning up on his elbows. "I should probably get ready for work anyway."  
"Let's do this again soon?" She said apologetically.  
"Please." He replied right away with a grin.  
The two got up, brushing stray blades of grass off their clothes. Then Shizuo offered his arm, which Tamina gladly took, happy for an escort home. Despite it being cut short, she considered this quite a successful first date.

 

Tamina got dinner started early and finished tidying up. There was one more load of laundry drying that she would fold later. Other than that, the daily chores were done and she anxiously waited for the twins to arrive home. She perked up from her place on the couch when she heard the front door open.  
"It smells so good!" She heard Mairu shout upon entering the apartment. "I'm starving!"  
The twins shuffled in and tossed their school bags. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They certainly didn't seem upset. Tamina watched them curiously. "How was school?" She asked suggestively.  
"Fine." Kururi answered monotonously.  
Tamina blinked as they moved to their room to change and get ready for dinner. She set the table and got their meals set up. The girls returned and sat, digging right in. She waited, but neither said anything to hint troubles from the day. She finally just decided to ask. "So... Raira called today. Is everything okay?"  
"Yup." The twins both said, barely looking up from their meals.  
"You're...sure?" She pressed.  
"Is this about those girls that vandalized our desks?" Mairu questioned with a full mouth.  
"I just heard there were some bullies bothering you." Tamina explained.  
"We took care of it." Kururi said flatly.  
Tamina quirked a brow. "What does that mean, exactly?"  
"Well, I was pretty reserved." Mairu began. "I just made some threats with my thumb tac special. Kururi actually tried to set the girl on fire." She cackled.  
"It didn't work." Kururi said, still with no inflection.  
Tamina stared, undeniably perplexed. She almost felt silly for making such a big deal out of it. Clearly the girls were fine and dealt with the situation on their own. She raised her brows and gave a nod, dropping the matter. It seemed she could enjoy her dinner in peace after all.

 

"Come on you two! Your breakfast is getting cold!" Tamina shouted for what she felt like was the hundredth time. It was met by nothing more than a pair of groans. The twins were putting up their usual fight for the morning routine. She rolled her eyes and continued down the hall, dragging the vacuum cleaner with her. If they were going to ignore her, she wasn't about to make it easy. She plugged it in and turned it on, vacuuming the living room floor, completely uncaring of it's volume. It seemed to work, as the girls shuffled groggily out of their room and sat down to eat shortly after, casting her some mildly irate side eye. Tamina held a rather pleased smile and continued with her loud chore while they ate.  
"Are we really the 'vacuum between the cushions' kind of people?" Mairu called to their caregiver over the sound.  
Tamina continued to clean the couch with the hose. "No, you two are more of the 'make crumbs all over the couch' kind." She called back.  
Despite the slow start she eventually got both of them to get dressed and ready for school with plenty of time. As they packed their backpacks a knock came to the front door. Mairu bounded down the hall to answer it. Tamina watched after her, wondering who could be paying them a visit so early.  
"Wow!" She heard Mairu exclaim from down the hall. "Yakuza in the building!"  
Tamina immediately stiffened, unsure if she'd heard correctly. Yakuza? Here? Why?! She quickly peeked into the hall to investigate.  
"Is there a hit on us because, I gotta warn ya, I think I could take you on Mr. Shiki." Mairu teased, adopting a playful martial arts stance.  
Tamina stared, completely baffled by the exchange. The man she greeted in the doorway certainly looked legit in his white suit, along with his entourage, but Mairu didn't seem concerned in the least.  
"Very funny Miss Orihara." Shiki replied with a smile. "Luckily for everyone, we have no such business here today."  
"Mairu?" Tamina called cautiously from her place down the hall.  
"Oh! No worries Mina!" Mairu assured. "This is Mr. Shiki from the Awakusu's." She informed with a smile.  
Her words hardly inspired comfort, but Tamina tried to mask her reservations. "Good morning." She greeted the man, forcing a smile herself.  
"Hey! Could we get a Yakuza escort to school this morning?" Mairu asked hopefully. "That would be so bad ass!"  
"Actually I have some business here with a Miss. Takeda." Shiki informed, casting a glance at the girl timidly waiting at the end of the hall.  
Mairu looked suspicious now. "You swear this isn't a hit?" She asked, eyes narrowed.  
"You have my word." He promised. "Just here for a chat." When Mairu didn't seem eased he added. "A pleasant chat."  
Mairu finally relaxed, seemingly trusting of his words. "Okay!" She said with a shrug and retreated down the hall to get her things. It was about time for them to leave.  
Kururi came to stand with Tamina, already carrying her school bag. Tamina leaned into her and whispered. "Should I be worried?" She asked, more than nervous by now.  
"They won't hurt you." Kururi said simply. She seemed to be just as comfortable with the Yakuza men's presence as her sister.  
With that Mairu returned with her own bag. "We're off! See you later!" She said cheerfully and made her way to the door along with Kururi.  
Tamina felt horribly exposed and uneasy being left alone with these men, but tried to find comfort in the twins confidence. They were obviously familiar with them and were welcoming to say the least.  
The girls left after putting on their shoes and giving a final wave. It was then that Shiki finally addressed her. "I assume you're Miss Takeda?"  
Tamina had remained awkwardly frozen in her place at the end of the hall. "Yes, that's me." She confirmed.  
"May I come in?" He asked keen on her apprehensions by now, but he wouldn't blame her at all.  
What could she do now? Refuse? She hardly felt like that was an option. She tried not to make her contemplation obvious. "Of course." She gestured to the living area.  
Shiki gave a nod to the men that accompanied him and they stepped back to wait in the hall. He came down the hall and into the living area, having a seat on the couch.  
Tamina followed. "Can I get you anything?" She asked politely.  
"No, thank you." He said.  
She could hardly take the anticipation, so she just asked. "Am I in some kind of trouble with the Awakusu's, Mr. Shiki?"  
He chuckled. " Not at all Miss. I'm sorry to make you so nervous." Tamina was about to protest but he went on. "I'm quite good with body language. I assure you, you can relax."  
She tried to calm herself, pulling a chair over from the dining table and taking a seat. "How can I help you?" She asked.  
"I was referred by Izaya Orihara." He began to explain.  
Immediately a familiar irritation crept through her skin. She should have known that mischievous man had something to do with this. The angry words she'd have for him were already coursing through her head.  
Shiki went on. "We work with Orihara frequently. The last time we met he spoke volumes of you. He claims you're abundantly familiar with his profession and the work he does and still do an excellent job of looking after his sisters. He also mentioned that you know the headless rider personally. As you can imagine, discretion is a trait my company finds abundantly appealing. I've come to ask if you'd be interested in a job proposition from my boss's wife." With her hesitant expression he added. "You're more than welcome to refuse but I promise, the work is legitimate. I'd never ask you to do something you weren't comfortable with."  
It hardly seemed like an offer Tamina would be able to refuse. The last thing she wanted was to be on the bad side of the Yakuza. As nervous as this proposition made her, she felt as if she had no choice but to hear it out. "Okay." She replied, forcing a nervous smile.  
"Good." Shiki said, standing. "There is a car waiting for us downstairs."  
"Now?" Tamina couldn't contain her surprise.  
"Will that be a problem?" He asked.  
She couldn't come up with an excuse not to off the top of her head. She tried to regain composure. "No, not at all. Uhm... I just...need a minute to get ready." Was all she could say.  
"Of course. We'll meet you downstairs." He told her, and began to leave.

 

"What the FUCK did you do?!" Tamina practically hissed into the phone, peeking out the window at the cars waiting downstairs.  
This only warranted a cackle from the other line, much to her further irritation. "This is why I like you so much Miss Takeda! I never know what to expect when you call." The info broker said cheerfully. "Is she going to ask me some deep, self loathing questions? Is she going to yell at me? Does she want a date? What could it be?!"  
Tamina scowled. "You give yourself way too much credit."  
"Ah! So we're in a witty retort kind of mood today. I like that too." He replied, unfazed by her sour mood as usual. "What can I do for you?"  
"Will you cut the shit, for once?" She asked, beyond done with his games.  
"Alright, alright." He relented. "I'm guessing Mr. Shiki paid you a visit."  
"He's waiting for me downstairs with a whole entourage of scary people and he said you sent him." She told him accusingly.  
"I did, yeah." He replied, matter-of-factly.  
"Why?"  
"You said you wanted my help in handling things."  
"How does getting me involved with the Yakuza help me?" She questioned, her building frustration reflecting in her tone.  
"Calm down." He tried to soothe. "You need to relax and take a huge step back here. Let's look at the big picture, shall we? Your step daddy is causing all sorts of trouble and you don't know how to resolve it. In my opinion, a problem like this would be best solved if he were to just, say, disappear..."  
Tamina leaned against the hall, pressing her head back against the wall. He couldn't be suggesting what she thought he was, could he?  
Izaya continued. "In my experience the Awakusu's don't take kindly to men like Mr. Monsuta. Not at all." He emphasized. "However they also aren't in the habit of doing favors for individuals they don't know. So, I graciously opened the door for you."  
"Graciously..." Tamina scoffed.  
"You scratch their back, they'll scratch yours. You did say you wanted to handle this 'aggressively', did you not?"  
Tamina thought on that hard. Could she really commit to something like this? She didn't know what she had expected of Izaya's help, but it certainly wasn't this. The more she thought about it though, the less she could fight it. What other choice did she have? She had no other options and had already committed herself fully to resolving the matter... No matter the cost. Perhaps the cost was getting her owns hands more dirty that she imagined.  
"In any event!" Izaya interrupted her contemplation. "It won't hurt to hear them out. It's not as if you're obligated to ask them for any favors. I just thought I'd give you the opportunity."  
"I'm sure an informant for the Yakuza, such as yourself, has a favor or two they could cash in..." She observed, a bit hopeful.  
He laughed. "Now, now. I said I'd help, but only as I see fit. I'm not going to just do it for you. That would be too easy."  
She rolled her eyes, that hope going right out the window. "Thanks a lot." She said sarcastically.  
"Hey, if you don't like my way of doing things, I'm sure you can ask your boyfriend." He said, a distinct change in his tone. "By all means, tell that idiot about your little predicament. I'm sure he'll come up with a very sophisticated way of solving it for you."  
"How do you-" She was about to question how he knew about their relationship, but shook it off. There was no point. "Oh, so now this is about you being jealous?" She pointed out.  
"Aren't you keeping the Awakusu's waiting?" He asked, uncharacteristically dodging her question. "I wouldn't advise doing that. Better get a move on, Miss Takeda." With that, the line went dead.

 

"You must be Miss Takeda. Thank you so much for coming!" The woman at the impressive house greeted Tamina with a warm smile. "To be honest I wasn't sure if you'd accept an invitation like this."  
'Invitation...Right...' Tamina couldn't help but think, the presence of the intimidating men behind her still making her uneasy. "Sure, no problem!" She lied, forcing a smile herself.  
The woman invited her inside and the men finally left, giving Tamina a chance to breathe easy and regroup a bit. The inside of the house was surprisingly normal. She wasn't sure what she had expected. Perhaps something less homey? This was the home of a big Yakuza boss, after all.  
She was led to a dining area and offered a seat. "Can I get you anything?" The woman asked.  
"No, thank you." She replied politely.  
The woman rounded the table and took the seat across from her. "My name is Akari Awakusu. It's very nice to meet you Miss Takeda. I've heard great things about you."  
Tamina inwardly grimaced as she wondered how far Izaya's meddling had really gone. She tried to repress it though. "It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Awakusu."  
"I suppose I'll get right to the point." Akari began. "I'm sure I don't have to beat around the bush. You are aware of the kind of work my husbands company does, correct?"  
Tamina took a moment to answer, but decided she shouldn't mix words. "I'm pretty aware, yes."  
"I have a daughter. Light of my life. We've tried to keep her isolated from the kind of business that we do. However she's reaching a delicate age and it's becoming increasingly difficult. Unfortunately it's becoming hard for our men to escort her to and from school and social gatherings, considering the precarious situations we're often involved with. Furthermore, it's becoming harder for me to conduct the simplest things, like errands and shopping." Akari told her. "Orhiara said you were someone who could be trusted. I know your hands are already full with the twins, but if you could spare some time during the week for a few things, myself and the company would be abundantly grateful."  
Tamina thought on her words. She was right, her hands were quite full with the twins. Furthermore, this was something else entirely. Working for the Yakuza? Even if the work was honest, she felt herself traveling down an ominously darker path.  
"Of course," Akari added. "We'll match whatever your pay rate with Orihara is."  
Tamina coughed a bit. As worrying as this was, another copious amount of money wasn't something she was so quick to turn down. Still, she hesitated.  
"Hi mom." A young girl entered the dining room, pulling her backpack off of her shoulder.  
"Welcome home dear. Miss Takeda, this is Akane, my daughter." Akari stood and extended an arm to introduce.  
The resemblance between the two was uncanny. Akane had Akari's short purple hair and round face. They even shared the same smile, Tamina noticed as the girl approached warmly. "Nice to meet you Miss Takeda."  
Tamina smiled back. "The pleasure is all mine Akane. What a pretty young girl you are."  
Akane's smile broadened. "Thank you! I think you're pretty too!"  
Tamina laughed at that. For the first time since this craziness began, she felt more relaxed. The girls sweetness was certainly the ice breaker she needed. Her smile softened, looking at the child. It was then that she remembered why she'd entertained this idea in the first place. The favor she'd eventually try to earn from the Awakusu's. Girls like this were exactly the reason she was doing all this. This kind of sweetness needed to be protected, and the thought of a man like her step father still out there preying on it caused her stomach to turn.  
"I'll do it." Tamina told Akari abruptly. "I'll help whenever I can."  
Akari looked very pleased. "That's wonderful news. Thank you so much, Miss Takeda. I have a good feeling about this."

 

"Hey, are you two-" Tamina abruptly stopped upon opening the twin's door when she found the room empty. After a quick scan it was abundantly clear that the twin's were not there. This was incredibly strange, considering they'd been there last she had checked and hadn't mentioned going out anywhere this late, especially since there was a Yuuhei Hanejima special on TV.  
She heaved a sigh and pulled the door shut, taking her phone out to dial the mischievous pair. Now what were they up to? She certainly didn't need this right now. Her nerves were shot for the day.  
Just as she was about to dial out, the phone started to ring and Shizuo's name appeared on the ID. "Hey." She answered. "Working?"  
"Yeah." He replied. "Almost done. You wouldn't believe the weirdos that are out tonight."  
"Seriously?" She asked, her anxiety increasing.  
"Oh yeah. These freaks in masks just tried to jump me and Tom while we took a break. Broke our money briefcase and everything."  
"Are you okay?" She asked before she realized it was probably a stupid question.  
"We're fine. Nothing a park bench couldn't remedy."  
Tamina let out a whine. "That's comforting." She said sarcastically. "Considering I just lost track of the twins."  
"Lost track? How'd you do that?"  
"I don't know." She groaned. "They're very crafty." A beep came from her phone and she pulled it away momentarily to check the ID. "Hey, they're calling me now. Can I call you back?"  
"Sure." He said before she quickly switched to the other line.  
"Where are you two?" Tamina answered, unable to fight the irritation in her tone.  
"Yeah, I figured you would have noticed by now." Mairu began in her usual cheerful tone.  
"Where are you, Mairu?" Tamina asked again.  
"We were looking for the Headless Rider. Now we're currently at Russia Sushi saving lives."  
Tamina nearly asked what that was supposed to mean, but stopped herself, realizing it was probably an answer she didn't want to hear. Instead she digressed. "Why didn't you just tell me you were going out?"  
"If we asked there was a good chance you'd say 'no', and then we'd have to disobey you, which we don't want to do." Mairu explained, as if it made total sense.  
"So you thought sneaking out was a better alternative?"  
"Seemed like it, yes." Mairu said simply.  
What could Tamina do now? She was taken aback by the twins honesty admittedly. Would demanding they come home really resolve anything at this point? She sighed. "Next time, please just tell me. And please be careful." She insisted.  
"Will do!" Mairu replied cheerfully.  
Tamina hung up. What to do now? The dishes from dinner were done. Laundry was folded and put away. The apartment was tidy and empty for the night. She pursed her lips in thought and tapped her foot and few times before dialing on her phone again.  
"Hey." Shizuo answered right away.  
"Hey. You wanna come over?" She asked.

 

Shizuo finished up with Tom and arrived at Tamina's apartment about a half hour later. He couldn't fight his nerves when she invited him inside. It was late and he'd never shared such company with a woman. It was much of the usual at first. Small talk about work and the rest of their day. Tamina explained the twins whereabouts and how she'd ended up on her own for the evening.  
They came to the couch and sat for a while, talking and drifting in and out of different TV shows. Tamina shifted to rest against him, laying her head on his shoulder. He reciprocated, draping an arm around her shoulder to hug her closer. The more time they spent together, the more comfortable he became with touching. He certainly appreciated hers, but he was more surprised by his own. His reckless hands were becoming more familiar and he found their gentle interactions he once feared coming easier and easier.  
She knew he was unfamiliar with intimacy. He'd made it clear on more than one occasion. She was more than willing to be patient with him, but their close proximity and increasing familiarity was making it difficult. Her body pressed against him and the peace they shared started to make her body heat up in a way she knew all too well.  
He didn't seem to notice to way that she scooted closer into him, distracted by whatever TV show was on. She pressed her face into the side of his neck, planting small kisses there. That's when he seemed to tense a little, but he remained still. She brought a hand up to guide his face as she usually did, pulling him into a soft, slow kiss. She couldn't help herself though, and the kiss quickly became more insistent. He'd gotten better at it with practice and he quickly complied with her quickened pace and coaxing tongue.  
Satisfied with the progress, she decided to try and take things further, pushing him against the back of the couch. He leaned back and she straddled his lap, never breaking the kiss. His heart was pounding by now and the excitement was building to a maddening level. He'd never felt like this before and the throb of arousal was stronger than he had ever anticipated. He'd been in brawls and street fights his whole life, barely breaking a sweat. But a girl on top of him like this had him breathless within seconds. He was struggling to keep up. She could tell he was straining a bit, but she didn't want to stop.  
She paused momentarily when she thought she heard the sound of the front door. Her movements halted and she anxiously waited for the sound of the twins returning home. There was nothing though, so she picked up the pace again before Shizuo even noticed. She assumed she just imagined the noise.  
Her hands came to his neck tie and pulled it off. Then she slowly started unbuttoning his vest and shirt. She tried to keep him occupied with sensual kissing but she could feel his whole body tense up.  
He broke away suddenly, looking down at her fingers working at exposing his chest. "Tamina I-.." He rasped through hard breaths. "I don't... I don't want to give you the wrong idea..." He hesitated. "But I don't know if I can do this." He admitted. It was talking all his discipline to keep his body from shaking and he felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest.  
Tamina paused, studying his face. She couldn't quite place his expression. He was flushed, but obviously anxious. He almost looked scared. She never imagined him wearing such a face. She understood his reservations but the lust in her was boiling by now. "Can't you try?" She asked, in a nearly pleading way.  
He swallowed hard, obviously weighing the options. Once he showed the slightest bit of sway, she leaned in again and kissed him hard. He responded right away and seemed equally as hungry for it. Perhaps the worst of his hesitation was over and she could finally show him he was capable of more than just destruction...  
They both jumped when a loud alarm suddenly started to blare through the building. Their heads spun around trying to identify the source of the sound. Tamina finally seemed to realize once surprise faded. "That's the fire alarm..." She said, quickly climbing off Shizuo and making her way toward the hall.  
She halted mid stride when she entered the hallway, feeling a chill run up her spine when she noticed the front door to the apartment hanging ajar. She glanced back at Shizuo who was trying to compose himself before standing to help investigate. She hurried down the hall and shoved the door all the way open, knowing well the only other person besides the twins who could gain access to her apartment. Her eyes darted up and down the hall. She immediately noticed the "Pull in case of Emergency" switch a short distance down the long corridor pulled down.  
One of her neighbors leaned out of their own apartment, arms crossed, clearly irritated by the late disruption. "I don't think it's a fire." He called to Tamina. "Some jackass just pulled the alarm." He told her.  
Tamina nodded politely in acknowledgment, but her mind was racing. The hall was empty besides herself and her neighbor, but she knew well who pulled that alarm, even if the raven haired man was nowhere to be found. She ducked back inside her apartment when the apartment management came along to investigate and silence the alarm.  
Shizuo had just gotten up to check when she reentered the living area. "Everything okay?" He asked.  
"Yeah, it was nothing. Just a prank." She told him quickly.  
"You're sure?" He asked noticing her tight face.  
"Yes." She said, quickly trying to adopt a better look. "I guess I'm just tired." She told him, unsure of what else to say.  
"I can go, if you want." He said, readjusting his shirt.  
"No." She insisted right away. "You don't have to."  
He stood there, obviously unsure and a little awkward considering the heated exchange they'd had moments ago. Tamina found herself at a bit at a loss too. She hoped her drastic change in mood wasn't obvious, but the last thing she wanted was to make him leave.  
"Will you come lay with me?" She asked him. He didn't answer right away, his nerves obviously having returned. She couldn't suppress a small smile. "It's okay." She assured him. "Just laying."  
He nodded and she took his hand, leading him down the hall and to her room. She climbed onto her bed and tugged him along with her, guiding him to spoon and wrap his arm around her. He was happy to comply, hugging her close, obviously much more comfortable with this. She settled in, trying to shake off the sudden anxiety and focus on how good it felt to be held.  
It felt good to Shizuo too, laying like this, but he couldn't shake the nagging in his head. "I'm sorry." He finally said after a short silence.  
"For what?" Tamina peeked back at him.  
He was embarrassed to explain how much intimacy scared him, but he knew that she knew. "You know..." He said quietly.  
She didn't need him to explain though. "What have I told you about apologizing?"  
He sighed, resting his head against her shoulder. "I'm just worried you'll get tired of being patient with me. With everything."  
She took his hand and laced their fingers. "You don't have to worry about that." She told him. "I promise."  
The room went quiet again, and it wasn't long that the silence and his warmth caused her eyes to slowly shut and sleep to quickly take her.


	13. In Fear and Love

"Shit!"

Tamina awoke at the sudden jostling and subsequent disappearance of warmth around her. This caused her to let out a displeased groan as she stretched and began to search for the disturbance.

"Sorry." Shizuo apologized in a hushed voice as he stood out of her bed and patted his pants to locate his phone. "I'm so late for work."

"I hope you're not in trouble." Tamina said through a stifled yawn.

"You and me both." He replied, taking his phone out to text Tom a heads up. "I'd be shit out of luck if I lost this job."

She sleepily watched him, nestling back into her pillow. She didn't have any pressing chores and her first day of work with the Awakusu's didn't start for a few hours. If he was leaving she could sneak in some extra sleep.

He was crazy late at this point, he was well aware. But still, it was so hard to leave her. He wondered when this would get easier. In fact, he wondered when a lot of things would. But for once we wasn't looking toward the future with so much fear. He was eager for it. Excited.

He shrugged off the distraction of her sweet, tired face and forced himself to get the ball rolling. "I'll see you later." He said with reluctance, tugging the blankets up and over her shoulder to cover her.

She gave him a sleepy smile and nod. Her eyes were closing and it was clear she was already giving herself back over to sleep. Shizuo grinned himself, rather widely in fact. He leaned over to plant a kiss on top of her head then stood and left.

 

Tamina scanned the small shopping list Mrs. Awakusu had texted to her. She scrolled through the message just to make sure she hadn't missed anything. After this there was some dry cleaning to pick up. Then some meal prep and time with Akane. It was all work she was abundantly familiar with. Working for the Yakuza, however, felt much different.

A fancy car had arrived to escort Tamina around the city. A tall, well dressed driver opened and closed the door for her, even after she insisted it wasn't necessary. Should she have dressed up for this? Everyone involved with the company seemed to be very well dressed. She could feel the eyes on her as she went about what should be typical daily tasks. And the thick, black bank card with the 'Awakusu' name clearly printed on it only drew more attention. She hadn't anticipated how different this work would feel, and she started to wonder if she had bitten off more than she could chew. She silently marveled with some resentment. How did Izaya always manage to make her feel this way? Even now. It was only her first day, she reminded herself. Thinking back, even the twins were quite intimidating at first. Now she couldn't imagine her life without them. She had to at least give this work a chance.

When the errands were done she was dropped off at the Awakusu's home. With the unnecessary assistance of her driver she brought in the dry cleaning and light groceries and got right to the task of putting them away and preparing meats and vegetables for dinner. It was just a short while later that Akane came happily bounding into the kitchen to accompany her.

"Good afternoon Miss Tamina!" The girl said wearing a bright and friendly smile.

This made Tamina smile too. "Good afternoon Miss Akane."

Akane joined Tamina in the kitchen. She sat quietly at the table so not to interrupt Tamina's work, but it was very clear to Tamina that the girl was excited by her presence. In full nanny mode, Tamina finished with the groceries and threw together a snack for Akane. Akane looked up from the notebook she'd been sketching in when Tamina placed the plate on the table for her.

"Thank you!" She said politely as she helped herself.

Tamina gave her a pat on the head. She was just too cute. It was amazing that such a sweet little girl could be growing up surrounded by gangsters and controversy. Despite her reservations earlier, it was nice spending time with Akane. She got the feeling the girl longed for company like this. She could tough it out for the more stressful parts of this job. Especially for Akane.

"So, you like to draw?" Tamina asked, tilting her head to look at Akane's notebook.

Akane smiled modestly and turned the book to give her a better look. "Yeah. I really like art. Even though I'm not very good."

"Everyone starts somewhere." Tamina assured her. "I think it's really nice."

Akane's smile widened. "That's what my daddy tells me. He says all great artists had to work hard at it. And eventually maybe my art can be sold at our family's galleries."

There was a brief lapse in Tamina's thoughts. Family galleries? Then she remembered. She'd only been vaguely aware before, but she'd learned that the Awakusu's operated out of a few Art Galleries in the city. A front for their more unorthodox work. She knew that Akane didn't know much, but she didn't realize that she was completely unaware of her families true affiliations.

It did explain things though. Like how such a sweet, innocent little girl could be growing up among the kings of the underworld. She couldn't be tainted by something she wasn't aware of.

"I think your daddy is right." Tamina told Akane.

Tamina's time here was winding down. Mrs. Awakusu hadn't been specific with dinner instructions, so she used what was on hand to make seasoning for the meat, then left it wrapped on the counter. After that she cleaned up everything she'd used, along with Akane's lunch plates. She was wrist deep the soapy water in the sink when Akane's voice startled her.

"Welcome home daddy!" The girl said cheerfully.

Tamina turned to attention, awkwardly hiding her sudsy hands behind her back. She'd never met Akane's father and it hadn't occurred to her until this very moment how much that terrified her. This was the next in line of the Awakusu's. The kind of person that could make you or break you in life. "Hello!" She mindlessly blurted when his eyes came to her.

"Who're you?" Mikiya Awakusu asked with little indication in his voice. He'd never seen this girl in his kitchen before.

Before Tamina could speak, Akane did, to her relief. "This is Miss Tamina, daddy!" She told him. "Mommy hired her!"

"Right, right." He seemed to remember. "The errands girl. What's that smell?" Boss Mikiya asked, clearly inhaling the aroma in the room.

"It's dinner daddy, doesn't it smell good?" Akane told him cheerfully hugging Tamina's leg.

"Nothing's cooking yet." Tamina clarified. "I just have some meat seasoned and ready for your wife. It'll smell a lot better when she cooks it. She should be home soon." Tamina could hear herself rambling. She wished she could just shut up but she couldn't help how nervous she felt.

"Hm." Was all Boss Awakusu said, then began to leave the kitchen.

"Well!" Tamina seized the moment. "I've got to get home to my other job. I'll see you later this week Akane." She said almost too quickly, giving Akane a pat on the head then making a bee line for the front door.

"My guy will drive you." Mikiya told her suddenly while he looked over the meats waiting for preperation on the stove top. He then gave a sharp whistle to call in one of the many associates occupying the property.

"Oh, no." Tamina protested. "That's really not necessary."

A moment later one of the men in suits joined them, waiting expectantly for an order. "Take Miss Tamina home." The boss told him. The man nodded and began to head out. "And take care of her." The boss added, then exchanged a look with his subordinate.

A chill shot up Tamina's spine. 'Take care of her'? What did he mean by that? If this was anything like those gangster movies, she had a clue. She tried not to appear visibly nervous as the man in the suit gave her a nod and began to lead her out.

Akane waved Tamina off happily, completely unaware of the anxiety that gripped her new caregiver.

 

 

The car pulled up to Tamina's apartment building. She fumbled with the handle, trying to get out before the man could circle around and let her out. "Thank you! Have a good day!" She blurted as she shoved out the door.

"Wait a minute!" The man called, halting her.

She inwardly groaned and nervously waited as the man approached her. She tried not to visibly flinch when he reached into his jacket pocket. Was this it? Was he going to cap her right here on the sidewalk? In broad day light?To her surprised though, he pulled out a thick wad of folded bills. He started to count out the money,

Tamina, less threatened and more confused, watched him. "Mrs. Awakusu and I have already made payment arrangments-" She started to explain.

The man pressed the money to her chest, making it difficult for her to refuse. "This is from the boss."

Tamina clutched the money to her, so it wouldn't fall to the ground. She wasn't sure how much this was but it was certainly a lot. "I'm confused." She admitted.

"Nothing to be confused about." The man told her, beginning back toward the driver side of his car. "Just be happy you made a good impression."

The car pulled away but Tamina stood at the curb a while longer. When she finally gained some sense again she pulled her bag from over her shoulder and sloppily stuffed the cash inside of it. 'Was this for real?' She wondered. Between what Izaya was paying her to look after the twins, her new income from Mrs. Awakusu, and these 'tips', her income was certainly not modest now days. It was actually quite conspicuous. Since she'd come to Ikebukuro, her life had changed in so many ways.

She pondered on the last few months while she walked up to her apartment. She thought back to that night on the rooftop when Izaya told her she should jump. She wondered if time made you look upon memories with more reverence than you should. Because for some reason, every time she thought about that night lately, she thought of it like an awakening. Almost empowering.

There was a time when she couldn't think about that night at all. It haunted her. Now she remembered it so vividly. Standing on that precipice. The wind. The sounds. The break down. Everything crumbling around her only to be rebuilt in such a short amount of time. There really was nothing she could compare to staring death in the face. There were times that she had felt sad and lost since then, but that was the turning point she could clearly discern in her life. This place. Her new friends. The twins. Akane. Shizuo... They meant so much to her. And they had all happened in such rapid succession. Like everything truly needed to fall apart before something good could come together.

Tamina found the door to her apartment unlocked. She assumed the twins had finally made their way home and entered without a second thought. After slipping off her shoes and hanging up her bag, she made her way down the hall. Just when she was about to call out to the twins, she halted. This was becoming ridiculous.

Izaya looked rather pleased with himself as usual. He sat at the dining table, enjoying one of her boxed lunches.

"What are you doing?" She asked flatly.

"I think a person's taste in food says so much about them!" Izaya suddenly began as if she hadn't even asked a question. "I mean, think about it! If a person likes very spicy things, don't you automatically think they're somewhat more adventurous? And bland things! Like a person who doesn't season their food at all. Wouldn't you assume a person like that would be pretty boring? So, what about you? Does the fact that you make everything so delicious speak to something deeper about your character?" He took another big bite. "I'm not sure myself, but I do love your cooking Miss Takeda."

"Izaya," Tamina said impatiently, not buying his philosophical banter. "What are you doing?" She repeated the question.

"I was just in the neighborhood!" He explained. "I was hungry, so I thought I'd stop by and enjoy some of this food I pay for."

That wasn't an outrageous answer, she supposed. He paid for this place. He paid for the food in it. If he wanted to stop by, who was she to turn him away? Especially considering he was her boss. Her previous difficulties with him and his constant fluctuations in maturity often made her forget this. Considering, she just turned and stalked down the hall toward her room. He had every right to be here, but she wasn't obligated to entertain him.

"Things look like they're working out with the Awakusu's." Izaya observed.

Tamina stopped, peaking back at him. "Yeah. They are." She admitted.

"I knew they would." Izaya said, rather smugly.

She turned to look at him. Any one else might think nothing of his words. He looked innocent enough. Eyeing her and slurping his noodles rather obnoxiously. She, however, knew better. There was never a time where he really meant what he said. With Izaya, you always had to read between the lines. Tamina briefly reflected on the things she'd seen and learned to be real in the last few months. Fairies without heads that rode motor cycle horses. Gangs of average joes and students. A man with insurmountable strength. It was in this moment that she started to question every encounter that she had had with Izaya.

She turned and came back, sitting across from him at the table to his visible surprise. She crossed her arms and leaned on them. "Are you a human?" She decided to just ask.

It was a reasonable question. He so often regarded humans as if they were something entirely different than he was. The physical feats he was capable of were above average for any human she'd ever seen too. He certainly didn't behave like a human most times. With what she knew now, was it so crazy to think he might be something different?

Izaya looked at her a while longer. Just when Tamina thought he might say something of importance, he let out a hard gaffaw. "Oh Miss Takeda! You're so adorable!" He cackled to her dismay. "Seriously! You're so doe eyed and precious! I can't stand it!" Suddenly he stopped laughing. He still looked amused. "That's why I like you so much. You're just the best kind of human." He said.

Tamina's eyes narrowed at him. He was playing games. As usual. She expelled an irate breath and leaned over the table. "All done?" She asked, snatching his lunch.

"Not quite." He mumbled while he slurped the last noodle he managed to hook before she prematurely took away his food. He guessed he deserved that. Pushing her buttons seldom went without mild consequence. It hardly deterred him though. "Testy, testy. How is it that you're sweet as pie with everyone else but you reserve this feisty girl just for me? I feel kind of special."

She stalked into the kitchen and impatiently tossed his unfinished lunch into the sink. "Because no one else makes me as crazy as you do, Izaya." She admitted. This just caused him to grin. She shot him another glare. "That isn't a compliment."

He cackled, leaning back in his seat, folding his arms behind his head comfortably.

Tamina returned to the table. "So you don't want to talk about last night?" She confronted him.

"Something happened last night?" His tone was innocent, but his eyes gave him away. She was able to recognize the look by now. He'd done it a hand full of times before and it had been unnerving. By now she was getting used to it. He'd often play it off, but there was a dark, possessive glint in his eyes. Especially when it came to matters of her with Shizuo.

"So what's your end game this time?" She crossed her arms and stared him down. "What are you going to sabotage? Our deal or my relationship?"

Izaya laughed but the tone of the conversation clearly changed. "My work is something I take seriously Miss Takeda. Your deal with me will remain intact as long as your 'boyfriend'," There was a disgusted inflection to his tone. "Doesn't kill me first. As far as your relationship." He smirked. "That will sabotage itself in no time, so I can't even be bothered."

Tamina eyed him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll admit. It irritates me to no end. With Shizu-chan's annoying ability to turn up at the most inopportune times and your love of running head first into destructive situations, I should have seen this coming. As much as I hate watching my toys get smashed, I'm ready to let this thing run it's course." Suddenly he was kind of cheerful again. "And once it does, you can come over and make me dinner!" He insisted, as he often did. "Maybe share a bottle of wine?"

Her face clearly held confusion. "What are you talking about? What do you mean destructive?"

"Oh stop that Miss Takeda. You're smarter than that." He said. "Is your habit of self destruction and troublesome relationships something that really escapes you?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Now she was becoming annoyed.

"Have you two had a fight yet?" He asked suddenly. "Like a real fight?" She was surprised by the question clearly. "Have you ever made him really mad?" He pressed.

Now Tamina was disgusted. Was he really suggesting...? She couldn't even finish the thought. It repulsed her. "Shizuo would never hurt me."

Izaya shrugged. "Purposely? Maybe not. Maybe so! You never know with him. Did you know he tried to throw a refrigerator at his little brother when they were just kids? I may not care for my siblings but at least I'm not trying to bodily harm them."

"That's not true. He wouldn't do that." Tamina insisted immediately.

He laughed. "I'm a well regarded info broker, Miss Takeda. My word is about the only sure and honest thing you can find in this city." There was a moment. "Buy, rather." He added.

"Nothing about you is sure or honest and you're crazy. You're not going to get in my head. I know Shizuo." She told him sternly.

"Like you knew Nakura." He smirked. The face she wore assured him he'd gotten the final word.

She wasn't prepared for it. And it wounded her. She didn't have a witty retort or clap back. "If you don't have any information for me regarding our deal or my employment you can go." Was all she said.

Izaya roughly pushed away from the table. "Was just heading out!" He said obnoxiously, pulling his jacket off the back of the chair and tossing it on. "By the way Miss Takeda," He started to say, causing her to look up. "Don't I pay you to keep this place clean?" He asked.

She was so preoccupied by his usual invasive presence that she hadn't noticed. Scanning the room now she could see that the girls had been home at some point, and the evidence of it was everywhere yet again. How could those two make such messes so quickly? Izaya showed himself out and Tamina let out a groan, letting her head sink down and lightly smack onto the table in defeat.

 

The work day was coming to an end. Shizuo kept pace with Tom on their way back to the office.

"Sorry again about earlier." He apologized.

"Don't sweat it! Everyone oversleeps sometimes." Tom told him again. There was silence, but after a moment Tom said with a sly smirk. "Especially when you spend the night at your girlfriends place..."

Shizuo didn't react the way Tom expected. He just heaved a sigh and averted his gaze. Tom never wanted to be on Shizuo's bad side so he immediately tried to clarify. "She's your girlfriend, right? The short girl you got the phone and flowers for?"

"Yeah." Shizuo said right away. "I mean, we didn't outright say it like high school kids or anything. But we're definitely 'seeing' each other."

This should be great news, but Tom knew Shizuo well enough to know when something else was on his mind. "You wanna talk about it?" He decided to ask.

Shizuo thought on it. It would do him good to vent but he hesitated. "It's kind of embarrassing."

"Come on, man." Tom assured. "You can tell me."

Shizuo exhaled a hard breath through his nose and decided to talk. "I did stay at Tamina's place last night. But nothing happened. I mean, it started to. She was there on top of me, kissing me, trying to get me to take my clothes off. But all I could think about in that moment was how afraid I was to touch her. I didn't want to hurt her."

"Like, you're afraid you can't control yourself?" Tom asked, trying to understand his meaning fully.

"When can I ever control myself?" He replied bitterly, eyes on the pavement. "And this is different. I've never felt the way I feel about Tamina. She makes me feel like I could be someone else. Not in a bad way. Like I could finally be the kind of person I want to be. Someone better then I am. I just feel like I'm always a breath away from screwing everything up. To be honest, I don't know how I'd handle it if things didn't work out."

"Wow, that serious?" Tom asked.

Shizuo just nodded.

Tom was taken by surprise. He'd known Shizuo for a long time but he saw it. He'd always been an emotional man, but Tom could clearly see the girls influence at play here. She had Shizuo all worked up in a way he'd never seen. "Wow, that's heavy stuff, man." Tom held his chin in thought. "Well, if you're that serious, you have no choice but to move forward. If you don't, how is she going to know you feel that way?"

"Easier said then done." Shizuo mumbled.

"Says the guy who can hurl a vending machine clear across town." Tom said with a chuckle. "I've seen you do impossible things for years Shizuo. This stuff? Relationships and sex and love? Those are the normal things. That's what you've always wanted right? A normal, peaceful life?"

How did Tom always do that? Ever since they were kids he knew exactly what to say to make Shizuo think clearly. And as usual, he was one hundred percent right.

 

"Is this a disciplinary call?" Mairu asked when she answered her phone.

"Yes this is a disciplinary call!" Tamina couldn't contain her irritation. "You told me you guys weren't going to do this anymore." Her tone turned into more of a whine.

"Why are you so upset? I told you, you don't have to worry about us."

"Yes I do!" Tamina told her. "That's my job. I can't let you two run around this city by yourselves all day and night!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you two to end up in some perverts rape dungeon!" Tamina said rather dramatically.

"Oh, kinky!" Mairu cooed.

"Mairu..." Tamina groaned.

"What? Don't kink shame me!"

This wasn't getting anywhere. "Put Kururi on the phone." She told Mairu, unable to entertain her goofy lewdness right now.

There was jostling on the other end and Kururi's flat voice came. "Hello."

"What are you two doing?" Tamina asked.

"Looking for the black rider."

"Alone?"

"No, with Egor."

"Who?"

"Egor."

"Who's that?"

"He's Russian."

"Okay, why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why...Everything? Why are you looking for the rider? Why with a Russian-?"

"Egor."

"What?"

"His name is Egor."

Tamina knocked her head back against the wall she slumped against in frustration. This wasn't getting anywhere either... She should have seen this coming. They were teenage girls after all. Everyone reached an age where they wanted to test boundaries. Considering their lax upbringing thanks to their brother, maybe she should be thankful it wasn't worse than this.

There was shuffling on the other line again. Mairu's voice came back. "You sound stressed. Why don't you take the night off?"

"I can't do that." Tamina said.

"Why not?"

Tamina didn't have a straight answer for that. She always felt obligated to stay in at nights because of this 'job'. She was receiving a ridiculous salary after all. She wanted to be responsible. "I just can't."

"Go have a drink! Spend some time with friends! Get laid! You need it."

"Thanks." Tamina mumbled sarcastically.

"Still mad?" Mairu asked sweetly.

Tamina gave a long exhale. "No."

"We love you."

"I love you too." She huffed and hung up.

Tamina wandered around the living space, snatching things off the floor here and there. Her mind wandered while she tidied. She thought about the twins. As much as she wanted to keep them safe, she knew they weren't ones to be sheltered. They'd somehow made it just fine without her before. Part of growing up was having adventures and making not so great decisions. She certainly knew that well. If they wanted to be young and wild there wasn't much she could do to stop them.

Her mind started to drift. There was a light throb in her head. It happened every so often, even after all this time. Especially when her hair was pulled up. She could feel the exact spot on her scalp where a large plank of wood had collided with her skull thanks to her boyfriend. She wondered how hard it had actually hit her for the wound to still bother her every now and then.

What if it had hit her harder? Or more directly? What about all the signs and light posts Shizuo was about to pick up and throw. What would being hit by something like that do to her? Could she survive a blow like that? Even an unintentional one?

Suddenly she stopped herself. What was she thinking? This was Shizuo she was thinking about. He was the sweetest person ever. Others may not know that side of him but it was their fault they didn't. All they had to do was get to know him. He didn't want to hurt anyone, ever.

This was Izaya's fault. Despite being completely aware of it, Tamina found herself being sucked into his manipulation. She shook it off, lighting tapping her temples with her open palms. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." She murmured softly to her own mind.

Her phone in her pocket started to vibrate, giving her the distraction she needed. She kicked the dryer door shut and started the cycle before answering Kyohei's call. "Hello?"

"Come have hot pot." He said.

"Huh?"

"Hot pot. At the mob doctors house."

"I don't know-" Tamina started to protest.

"Your boyfriend is here."

That's all she needed to hear...

 

"Tamina!" Shinra exclaimed as he opened the door. "So glad you could make it! Sorry for the short notice, but we just kind of threw this thing together."

"Thanks for inviting me." Tamina replied politely.

She was surprised by how many faces she encountered when she entered the apartment. Kyohei and her van friends were all present and accounted for. They gave big smiles and waves as soon as she entered the room. Celty was there, of course. She was mingling among the other guests surprisingly well. It was another circumstance where Tamina didn't mean to be surprised by how ordinary Celty really was. There were many new faces as well. To her surprise, there were quite a few students from Raira Academy.

Tamina scanned around the room and made brief greetings until she found the person she was looking for. Once her eyes found him she smiled wildly. She couldn't contain herself. All the pesky doubts she'd had earlier melted away when she saw him.

Even though he was in the middle of a conversation with Kyohei, Shizuo couldn't contain his enthusiasm either. The moment their eyes locked it was over. They made the necessary rounds and mingled with the other guests. They didn't want to make things too obvious, but they were dying to get to each other.

 

"Hey, Kyohei." Shizuo finally said after their conversation. "Mind if I ask you something? Just between us?"

Kyohei was taken by surprise. He and Shizuo were on good terms, but he hadn't expected him to reach out like this. "Sure." He replied.

"Tamina," Shizuo started to say, his eyes flashing to the girl across the room who was sitting with one of the Raira kids. "You guys hang out a lot with your friends."

"Yeah." Kyohei confirmed, sipping his beer.

"I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, am I?" Shizuo was up front about it.

"Nah, it's not like that." Kyohei waved him off. Then he seemed to think on it. "I mean, maybe with Erika, but she's just wild like that. And Tamina isn't really into that. As far as us guys go, she's just our friend. It's all platonic, trust me."

"Have you known her long?" Shizuo asked, swirling the drink in his cup. He didn't usually drink like this. It never really did anything for him. But tonight he found himself indulging. It was easing his nerves, if nothing else.

"No, actually." Kyohei said with a soft laugh. "Not much longer than you probably." He admitted.

Shizuo was surprised by this. "Really? You all look like such good friends."

Kyohei shrugged. "Tamina's good like that. She's just the type of person you connect with right away." Kyohei thought on his words for a second, considering Shizuo's usual attitude. "I'm sure you've noticed." He decided to say.

Shizuo's eyes flickered from his cup to him and back again. He took a swig and said. "She used to know Izaya too. What do you make of that?"

Kyohei contemplated. He knew that Tamina was still in business with Izaya. He employed her, but she also had other endeveours with the info broker. The details of which she couldn't tell even him. He wasn't sure what Shizuo knew about Tamina and Izaya, and he didn't want to blow up her spot. He was carefully honest. "Tamina doesn't have a mean bone in her body. And Izaya manipulates everyone in this city, whether they know it or not. I don't blame her at all for him."

Shizuo seemed wholly satisifed with that. He gave a nod. "You're right."

"Do you know Mairu and Kururi Orihara?" Tamina asked as she came to sit next to one of the Raira students. The one with the funny name.

"I only met them briefly today." The boy admitted almost nervously.

Given the twins usual antics, Tamina didn't find the boys reservations surprising. "They can be a handful. But they mellow out when you get to know them." There was a pause. "A little." She admitted.

"Does that mean you know Izaya Orihara too?" The boy asked.

Tamina was surprised. Why would Izaya be involved with high school kids? She could probably ask the same of anyone at this party, but Izaya's motives were always questionable. "Yes, I do." She told him. "Why?"

"Oh! No reason! I was just curious!" He gave a little laugh.

 

She nodded. She wasn't sure if it was just her or the topics but his nerves never seemed to dissipate.

"Sorry again about the whole, pen thing." Seiji admitted.

"Water under the bridge." Shizuo assured him. Then Shizuo had a thought. "Actually, I want to thank you for something."

Seiji couldn't think of anything that would have significance to someone like Shizuo. Especially since their last unfortunate encounter. "What's that?"

"You said something like 'Love is a feeling. You can't explain it.'" Shizuo explained.

"Is there someone you love?" Seiji asked.

Shizuo refused the urge to shoot a glance at Tamina. "There's someone I have feelings for that I can't explain..." Shizuo said.

Seiji nodded at this. His eyes looked to Mika. This was the first moment all night they hadn't been together. He hadn't realized how much he liked her suffocating energy until it wasn't around. She was currently talking to Celty, passing along a recipe. "It finds you at the strangest times." He started to say, his eyes returning to Shizuo. "But trust your feelings."

 

They eventually found their way to each other. It was awkward and cute. They shared 'hello's' and brief summaries of their days. The room was so crowded though...

"Mind if I steal you away?" He asked.

Tamina smiled and cast a brief glance around at her friends. "Not at all." She said, accepting his hand, letting him lead her to the balcony.

It was a smart move on his part. They'd both felt the rooms eyes on them the moment they'd entered. It was silly to think their relationship would go unnoticed. Every party guest acted casual, but the constant flickering of eyes and whispers confirmed what Tamina and Shizuo already knew. All eyes were on them.

Once they came out on the balcony Shizuo shut the door behind them and they took seats in the balcony's reclined chairs. Now they had privacy. Now they could fully indulge in each others company.

 

"Alright, high school kids! I'm afraid I'm going to have to call curfew!" Shinra called to the room. "Go ahead and get home safe. Shoot us a text when you do. Celty and I will be checking you!"

Seiji and Mika clung to each other, discussing which apartment they'd go to for the evening. The kid with the long name offered to walk the girl with glasses home. One by one the younger attendees or the party dispersed.

"As for the rest of you," Shinra announced once the kids were gone. "I'm collecting car keys." Everyone had had plenty to drink that night and no one was leaving the premises under his or Celty's watch. "There's more then enough space. There's the couch and I put extra bedding on the floor. There's also fresh bedding in the guest room if anyone is so inclined. As for us..." He cast a glance down the hall. Celty had disappeared down there some time ago. He looked anxious to get to her. "We're off to bed. Good night!" And he was off.

Tamina and Shizuo remained outside for the duration of the event, watching the city go from bustling to dull and quiet in the night. They sat on the balcony talking for hours. There was deep conversation. The kind that really gets the mind working. And then there were times where their faces hurt from laughing so much.

Shizuo marveled when there was a break in conversation. He watched Tamina while she looked out over the balcony toward the highway below. The occasional car that passed in the late hour cast some light on them, causing her big eyes to illuminate temporarily, then return to nearly black when the dark returned. He stared as hard as he could. He wanted to remember what she looked like in this light. In this mood. He couldn't say it right now. It would be crazy to. But in his heart, he knew. He was so in love.

"Tamina," He started to say. Then his mind went blank. What was it that he wanted to say? How had he explained it to Tom early? He tried desperately to remember how he'd described his feelings for her with his friend. Tamina looked from the city to him with his prolonged silence. With her eyes on him it was even more hopeless. For the life of him, he couldn't remember the monologue of feelings he'd had running through his head all night. His confession was crashing and burning.

A little smile crept onto her face as she looked at him. She knew well by now when he was struggling with words. This filled him with warmth and he realized it didn't matter what he said or how he said it. What mattered was how he felt every time he saw her smile.

"You make me better." He finally said.

It wasn't what he had intended to say. In fact, it was a pitiful comparison to the slew on words he'd had earlier in the day. But it was just as well. Tamina couldn't have understood his sentiment more deeply. "You make me better too." She replied, her eyes never leaving his.

Her reciprocation meant more to him than she could ever know. All the lonely, self loathing years seemed to fade away. His past wasn't hurtful anymore. Now that he had something so amazing to look forward to.

"Come on." He said before he could think better of it. He stood and extended a hand to her.

She was confused by the sudden request, but accepted his hand and stood when he gave a light tug. He opened the sliding glass door of the balcony and they reentered the apartment quietly.

Kyohei was slumped against the back of the couch with his hat pulled over his face. His arms were crossed but it was clear by his even breathing that he was sleeping. Erika laid across the length of the couch asleep with a pillow and blanket. Saburo was on the floor with the bedding Shinra had put out and Walker was awake, but intensely distracted by the late night run of anime on his favorite TV network.

They didn't rejoin the group. Instead Shizuo lead Tamina down the hall to the guest bedroom. They'd spent time in that room before. Even shared their first intimate moments. Well, intimate for him...

Tamina didn't know what to make of his sudden migration and haste. It was so late and they really should get some sleep, but his hurried pace gave her a sneaking suspicion that sleep wasn't what he hurried toward. Still, she didn't want to get ahead of herself... They entered the guest bedroom and shut the door behind them.

"Lock the door." Shizuo's voice came more gruffly than she expected while he went about the task of setting up the guest futon.

She obeyed, turning the doors lock and flipping the light switch after. It was only a moment. The room had only momentarily disappeared from her view when she felt his grip on her wrist, lightly tugging her toward him. She let a laugh escape as he led her in the dark. She felt him pull her down so she sank to her knees on the guest bedding.

"Are you okay?" She asked, laughter in her voice.

"Yeah." Is all Shizuo said before he covered her mouth with his.

This wasn't like his usual, clumsy, slow kisses. He was kissing her with purpose. She let a moan escape against his mouth, surprised by the pace he was setting. Between this and his hurried actions she was beyond confused. Was this the green light she'd been waiting for? She hadn't planned on pushing the physical part of their relationship after last time. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable again. But concern for that was slipping away fast.

The truth was, he couldn't slow down. Not if he wanted to do what he wanted to do. There was no time to think. If he did, even for a second, he knew he'd lose his nerve. And there was no way he was going to pussy out now. She meant too much to him. Things were too real. He would seal this deal tonight and show her that she was welcome across all of his boundaries.

They fell in a heap against the bedding. Shizuo complied when Tamina pulled him on top of her, hugging his neck. Their make out grew heavier than ever before. Tamina was melting with need by now. She prayed he wouldn't stop. Her fingers traveled to his tie and hooked it, tugging it off with a light yank. She then began working on the buttons of his vest and shirt. To her surprise, she only managed to unbutton the first few before Shizuo broke away from her mouth and ducked down and out of the garments, pulling them over his head. She was equally surprised when he immediately started to work on her shirt. She'd barely gotten it off when his mouth caught hers again and she could feel his hands fumbling with the waist band of her pants.

The logistics of it all were becoming lost to Shizuo. He was in a haze. The room was so hot. Or was that just him? Articles of clothing were disappearing left and right. 'Just keep moving.' He willed himself. If he could just keep things going, he might just be able to do this. In the lustful fog he clung to, they managed to remove the rest of their clothes. The small tug of arousal from last night was nothing compared to the painful need he had now.

Suddenly, however, everything came screeching to a halt for him. 'No.' He thought, almost pained. There she was. She was just laying there beneath him, bare breasted in the dimly lit room, looking up at him with her big dark eyes. All at once his nerves returned full force. His body completely locked up. He just hovered there, staring down at her. He felt as if he were on top of a pane of glass. His slightest move could make it shatter. She never looked more fragile to him. A million concerns resurfaced. What if he hurt her? What if he wasn't good? What if she...?

She recognized the look that his face adopted. She could see clearly on his face when he was thinking too much. He was definitely having doubts. He couldn't stop now! He'd brought her this far! If he didn't finish what he had started she felt like she'd go mad. She knew he could. She just needed to show him.

"Here, let me." She said, pushing back against his shoulder. He looked confused but she insisted, guiding him to turn over. He obeyed, momentarily happy to relinquish the lead in this situation. It was short lived though. His nerves sky rocketed again when she made him lay down and climbed on top of him. Now she hovered over him, straddling his waist, hands planted on either side of his head. She leaned over him to start gently kissing again to get him back on task but she found some resistance still.

His nerves were still pulling at him. "Wait." He murmured between her kisses. "I don't... have anything." He nervously realized.

She spoke softly, kissing the corner of his mouth now and then to keep him keyed up. "I'm on birth control, if that's what you're worried about..."

After the scare with Izaya a few months ago, she'd immediately sought out a more dependable form of contraceptive. She never wanted to be in that situation again, worrying and playing the waiting game. Especially with someone she wasn't ready to have a family with. A pill a day put her mind at ease now.

Shizuo let out a relieved breath. At least he didn't have to worry about that. He was going to have to focus on so many things if he was really going to go through with this. He wasn't sure if stopping in time was going to be something he could commit to.

Looking down at him, Tamina noticed his arms were firmly planted at his sides. He was still and held onto some of the blankets nervously. For her, that just wouldn't do. She surprised him when she grabbed his wrists and tugged his hands up to her hips. She planted them firmly on her body.

"No!" Shizuo protested in a near panic. "I can't!"

Immediately Tamina held his face and kissed him to silence him. "Shhh!" She hushed. "You're fine." She assured him. "You're not going to hurt me."

He huffed a breath as they bodies came unbearably close together. How could she promise that? How did she know? It was taking all of his focus to keep his fingertips from digging into the flesh at the junction of her hips and waist. He imagined just the disciplined pressure he was applying was already enough to bruise her delicate skin. How was he supposed to keep this up? All of his thoughts were abruptly cut off when she started to sink down on top of him. He didn't even recognize the noise that escaped his throat as an intoxicating pleasure hit him like a ton of bricks.

Tamina bit her lip as she sat down on top of him. She watched him let out the hardest groan and his grip on her hips immediately intensified. This caused a moan to escape her as well. Once mounted, she slowly rocked her hips on top of his, setting a very slow rythme. One might consider it exceedingly slow, but she knew he needed time to adjust. They'd barely started and he was already breathless beneath her.

She didn't anticipate the effect this would have on her though. It gave her such a rush. He was such a strong, powerful man. Yet he was hers at this moments. No one else's but hers. The power she held over him was so exciting. The grip on her hips clutched, nearly painfully at moments, but it did nothing but arouse her further. Her pace grew bolder and bolder, despite herself.

Having sex wasn't anything like Shizuo imagined. It was a billion times better. A trillion. More than that. Watching her move. The way her body felt. Her slightly parted lips and the look in her eyes. Every part of this exceeded his expectations a hundred fold.

The sex eventually built to a reasonable pace. All of his nerves finally faded away and he allowed himself the pleasure he knew he had always craved somewhere deep inside. His hands rocked her hips harder against his. He fought the tension that grew in him but he could feel it building in her too. She was on top of him, whimpering and panting. God, the sounds she was making. It was almost more than he could take. He could feel her need, and tried to meet it, picking up the pace as much as he could.

The tipping point happened so suddenly. He couldn't stop it even if he tried. He let out a hard groan, burying his face against her shoulder to suppress some of his volume as he reached his end. It was just as well, as she couldn't take much more either. Her body responded to his and she climaxed just as intensely, clutching his head to her, not nearly as mindful of her volume as him.

They lay there after in a heap of sweat, breathing heavily. Shizuo basked in after glow as Tamina planted lazy kisses all over his face.

"Holy shit." He huffed, when he could finally articulate words again.

Tamina buried her face against his chest with a pleased breath. "Everything you imagined?"

"Mmm." Was all he could muster, resting his eyes as he evened out is breathing.

They were content staying like that for a while. Tamina's head came to rest on his chest and she finally relaxed, listening to the sound of his heart steadying out.

A short time past. Tamina had just begun to rest her eyes when Shizuo's voice brought her back from the brink of sleep. "Hey," he started to say. "I don't want to be rude but..." he hesitated, a little embarrassed. "Can we do that again?"

Tamina had a soft fit of laughter and let another heated kiss serve as her answer.


	14. Fantasy

The weeks passed rather blissfully for a while. It was a feeling Tamina was so content with, much to her own surprise. It was surprising because she gave herself to it so freely and quickly. Everything stressful and dark had faded to the back of her mind because things with Shizuo were going so well. There were plenty of dates. They had so much fun when they were together. They could talk for hours too. And then there was the sex. Their bond had grown immensely stronger since they'd become more familiar. On his end especially it seemed. She had forgotten what that felt like. To be needed.

It was great for Shizuo too. And not just for the obvious reasons. Of course being 'physical' with someone was amazing. He'd never considered himself a sexual person. The complete opposite actually! But now that he'd had a taste, it was something he found himself craving. When a few days passed between seeing her, or after a particularly tough day at work, she was all he wanted. All he could think about, really. He'd had her more times than he could count already, and their relationship had just started. Being wanted in this way didn't hurt his ego either...

But everything else was great too! Sharing everyday life with someone was more satisfying than he could have dreamed. He looked forward to the days and nights he'd get to spend in her company every second they were apart. Some evenings he came home to amazing home cooked meals and his clothes just started showing up cleaned and ironed in his closet. He hadn't known meat tasted significantly better when it had time to sit in it's seasonings or that hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice were the best for getting out stains. Watching movies was way better with her curled up under his arm too. She made every part of his life better. He knew it was early in their relationship and he wouldn't dare say so, but he hoped he'd spend the rest of his days like this... Nothing would make him happier. Seeing her smile everyday. Making love every night...

 

The first round was always fast. It wasn't either one of their faults. It was typically so anticipated and exciting, sometimes prolonged with foreplay. A few minutes of passion and...

The second round would start with little intermission. This time was always longer and more playful. But the third was longest... By the third time he was most confident in his touch and his hands could explore her body with more ease. Kisses were deep and passionate. Things slowed down immensely. The world around them disappeared for a time and in their own space there was nothing else. Nothing but him, and her.

Shizuo exhaled a hard breath. Being on top was still new to him. Though he was determined to get past these stupid boundaries he'd set for himself, it was tough. And seeing her like this... Well, it didn't make it any easier...

He kept his hands firmly planted in the blankets on either side of her head. She was looking up at him with those lust filled eyes he'd familiarized himself with. She hugged one of his arms with her own, her lips parted just enough to let her breathy little sounds fill the room with every thrust he gave. He was lost in those eyes. Sometimes he swore she was bewitching him. He rocked his hips slowly into her body. She bit her bottom lip as he withdrew from her at the same nearly torturous pace. She had grown to enjoy the slowly built passion in their sex.

Though he had become better with his reservations, they still sometimes nagged at him. He had to remind himself not to grab to roughly or squeeze too tight. If he had it his way, he probably would have never touched her. But she insisted otherwise. She craved his hands on her and made him do it as often as she could without pushing him. And he was grateful for it now. The slow grown confidence surprised him every now and then.

In just such a moment, he felt the need to touch her. His fingers unknotted from the sheets and his hand came to travel over her collarbone and up the side of her neck. It came to rest, carefully holding the side of her face. All the while he kept the rhythm in his hips constant. It was sensual and coordinated! He beamed, feeling more than ever that there could be hope for him yet.

The sudden touch made Tamina's lips curl into a small smile and she placed her hand on top of his. Their eyes were locked but she turned her face just enough to plant a kiss on his wrist.

His breath caught. The smallest gestures and she could just set him on fire... That was the power she had. He picked up the pace considerably without even realizing it, pressing in to nuzzle his forehead against hers. She gladly accepted his affection, arms looping around his neck to hug his head tightly. They were both starting to lose themselves to the ecstasy again.

"I love you..." The words escaped in a breath. Shizuo was horrified to hear them leave his lips.

Suddenly everything stopped. Tamina pulled back a bit, pressing a palm against his shoulder for some space. The look she wore was hard to read. As if she wasn't sure she had heard him clearly.  
"I'm sorry." Shizuo blurted, immediately leaning back on his knees to withdraw and give her room. "I didn't mean to say that. I mean, I did!" He tripped over all of his words now. "I just-I know that's not something you should say during sex. I just...I'm sorry-I..."

While Shizuo drowned in his words, Tamina just stared back. He loved her. That's what he had said, right? It overwhelmed her. Could she really accept a confession that came with passionate sex? She wasn't sure. It hadn't been too long, but she couldn't deny her feelings for him were strong too. And growing...

But love... It was giving oneself to the other completely. She knew that Shizuo would gladly do that for her. But could she? No matter how badly she wanted to, something like that wouldn't prove easy... Though she couldn't think of any other word that quite captured how she felt toward him.

She suddenly realized her puzzled face was stressing him out further and she was too hot and bothered not to finish this. She cut off his rambling by leaning up with a rough kiss. "We'll talk later." She assured him, coaxing him by sucking on his bottom lip.

He was taken by surprise and a low growl resonated in his throat. Her legs hugged and tugged his waist, demanding he finish what he'd started. He needed no further enticing than that...

 

Shizuo's work schedule fluctuated. Sometimes he worked days. Other times he'd head out in the early evening and work throughout the night. Tamina had certain obligations for her own jobs but aside from meals and the occasional time sensitive errands, her time was pretty flexible. She could come over in the morning and stay until late afternoon on days like today when he worked later. Or she could sleep over on nights he was home. She hated the idea of him losing sleep with his crazy hours but he insisted it was the opposite of a problem. They certainly 'slept' much less in each others company.

Tamina watched herself in the bathroom mirror as she pulled the length of her hair on top of her head and tied it up. She blinked when she saw discoloration on her forearm in the reflection. After further examination she realized that it was the beginnings of a faint, purple bruise. She twisted her wrist at a better angle in the light, and noticed it had the distinct shape of a hand print. Now she remembered. It didn't happen too often, but every now and then she received subtle reminders of Shizuo strength in these little accidental marks. It didn't hurt now and neither one of them seemed to notice when it happened. It was typically during certain explosive moments... When Shizuo was a bit too lost to control himself and Tamina was way too stimulated to care.

She shrugged it off. It wasn't too noticeable and would disappear in a couple of days. If Shizuo knew about it he'd just beat himself up so she kept these minor incidents to herself. He was getting better and better every time and she had no intention of discouraging his progress with these silly little things. A strange smile crept onto her lips when she realized she kind of liked his marks on her. In a kind of deviant way. Like it made her completely his.

"Your phone keeps ringing!" Shizuo called to to her from the next room.

It had been going off all day. And she didn't have to guess who it was. A certain information broker had been very keen on bugging her lately. She entered and snatched it off the table, sending it to voice mail yet again. Couldn't he take a hint? Of course not, she thought bitterly. He was probably doing this on purpose. Antagonizing. The usual.

Fortunately she hadn't changed Izaya's contact in her phone and his number remained under the name 'Nakura.' She shoved the phone in her bag and turned to Shizuo with a sweet smile before it could become a topic of discussion.

"So, about what I said early..." He started to say.

"Yeah?" She asked, eager to hear him.

He seemed nervous, running a hand through his hair. "Can we just forget about it?" He blurted.

She couldn't suppress her face fall and he immediately added. "I'm not taking back what I said! I just feel like an idiot because of how it happened. It wasn't respectful."

Tamina stared back at him, the worry in her eyes replaced by a softness. That's what he was worried about? Being respectful? His wholesome character never ceased to surprise her.

"I meant it. I want you to know that." He asserted. "But let me say it again at a better time."

She knew there was no point arguing with him. There was no changing his mind when it was made up. His horrible stubbornness was shining through, but so was his incredible sweetness. To think, he cared that much about something so seemingly simple.

"Fine." She relented. "If that's what you really want."

He knew she often gave into his silly requests without fully understanding them entirely for his sake. She was so understanding and perfect. And he loved her even more for it. He smiled widely, leaning down to give her a kiss that she gladly accepted.

They were both dressed and ready to go. He had to get to work and she had errands. But the thought of his love made her happiness soar and she playfully added a little tongue to their goodbye. However, this only stoked the fire that had finally calmed in him, and he decided right then and there he was definitely going to be late. It wasn't long after that they were undressed all over again...

 

"Thank you." Tamina said politely to the man behind the counter at the fish market. She placed the wrapped package in her bag and moved on to produce. Just a few more things...

She gave an irate huff when she felt her phone vibrating again. Without even checking the ID she snatched it from her bag and pressed it to her ear. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"I could have been dying!" Izaya's voice came from the other line dramatically. "I can't believe you wouldn't answer at all."

"One. If you were calling that much there was no way you were dying. At least not fast enough. And two, I was busy and you know that. You're just being a needy brat."

"I know your little fantasy with Shizu-chan has given you a severe case of tunnel vision. You're only human and I love that! Despite what a degenerate he is." He added under his breath. "But every so often I do have something of importance to say. I think I've proven that."

There was a brief pause on Tamina's end. She absolutely hated when he was right. It literally pained her. But the fact that she'd pushed certain things to the back of her mind in favor of this new found peace did not escape her. "Well?" She finally said.

"Better we talk in person." He told her much to her dismay. "How about your place? Say...Dinner time?" He asked, the sly grin obvious in his voice.

Tamina rolled her eyes, incredibly annoyed with that idea. "Fine." She said non the less.

"Great! Are you taking dinner requests? Because if you are you should definitely make-"

His voice cut out when she impatiently tapped the end button on the call. She let out a defeated sigh and about faced to head back to the fish counter. Apparently she'd need more.

Tamina placed the few things Mrs. Awakusu had asked her to grab on the counter. "They were super busy so they quoted me an extra day for the dry cleaning. I hope that's okay." She said, offering the receipt that she fished from her bag.

Mrs. Awakusu took the paper with a nod of approval. "It's not a problem. Thank you for being so thorough as usual."

Tamina just smiled in return. She did her best not to appear uptight around the Awakusu's but it was definitely strained at times. It was then that she wondered where her relief was. That little smile that always put her at ease.

"Is Akane still not feeling well?" She asked. That had been the case the last few weeks actually. She hadn't seen the sweet girl in a while. It was starting to become strange and she wondered if she should worry.

Mrs Awakusu's brow grew uncharacteristically tight to Tamina's surprise. "She's going through a bit of a faze." She explained. It was clearly a sore subject.

Tamina's first instinct was to pry a bit but she fought it, recalling all the conversations she'd had about discretion. This was clearly a family matter and she didn't want to overstep her boundaries. "Well, let her know I'm thinking about her." She decided to leave it at that.

 

"I'm home!" Tamina called, kicking the door shut behind her. She kicked off her shoes while she struggled with her grip on the paper grocery bag she carried. When she entered the living room she was startled when the bag was suddenly grabbed from her hands.

"Welcome home, Miss Tamina." Egor greeted her as he assisted.

Tamina suppressed a yelp of surprise. "Thank you, Egor."

She still hadn't gotten used to the intimidating mans presence. He towered over her and bandages decorated his face, though less now then when he'd first arrived. She never would have allowed him to stay if Shinra and Simon hadn't vouched for his integrity.

Things with the twins had finally calmed down. Tamina had given into their pleads to 'loosen up'. She spent a few nights a week at Shizuo's to give them space and did her best to respect their freedom within reason. As far as she could tell, it worked. They seemed appeased and had stopped wandering too far. They kept Tamina informed and met all of their academic commitments, which was most important.

That wasn't to say things in their apartment were now normal. No, they were as strange as ever. It seemed they had shifted from exploring their surroundings to exploring the bowels of the internet, staying up all hours on websites and chat rooms. This wasn't the best improvement, Tamina knew, but she took her victories where she could. And then, of course, there was Egor. Their new, even more eccentric house guest. Indefinitely. Maybe strange had just become the norm, and Tamina just hadn't noticed the transition?

Egor carried her heavy bag into the kitchen for her effortlessly.

"Egor, that isn't necessary." She protested as he began to put the groceries away.

"It's the least I can do." Egor replied. "I can't express enough gratitude for your hospitality."

Well, it wasn't necessarily her hospitality that welcomed him here. The twins had invited him to stay, leaving her little room for protest. Especially when faced with the daunting man. Apparently he had nowhere else to go and a recently failed job left his finances a bit complicated. He was polite enough and never overstepped his boundaries. He was actually pretty nice! But, like Shizuo, she knew there was more to this man than what she saw. She could tell by his very presence that he was dangerous, and the stories the twins told her only furthered her speculations.

For whatever reason though, this very daunting and potentially dangerous man seemed to owe Kururi and Mairu quite a lot, and had come to participate in their little household rather obediently. He seemed determined to earn his keep, helping with chores and duties whenever he could. Soon Tamina began to feel toward Egor the same way she did the twins. Apprehensive at first, but eventually understanding, and even accepting.

She glanced toward the couch where he had neatly folded and stacked the pillows and blankets he used. He was so tall and their couch wasn't very big. She didn't imagine it was comfortable for him, but he hadn't complained once.

"That couch can't be comfortable for you." She observed.

"There's no need to worry about my comfort. I've slept on much worse. Its practically a luxury." He told her.

"Would you like a futon, Egor?" She asked. "I wish we had more space but at least you could fully lay down. I could get you one this week. "

"I couldn't ask for that, Miss Tamina. I still owe the twins quite a debt, and your kindness is more than enough." He replied.

"You're not asking. I'm offering. I hate to think of you so uncomfortable. You're not putting me out." She assured him. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I think I have more money saved then I could spend at this point, so It's no trouble at all. Let me get you a proper futon." She insisted.

Egor looked surprised but relented. "I'm so grateful. Please know that I plan to repay you and the girls someday. Many times over."

Tamina gave a smile. He was scary. At least he looked it. Sometimes. And she knew next to nothing about him. But for whatever reason, she just felt like she could trust him. And for that reason, she decided he could stay for as long as he liked.

 

"Come on... Just let me have a little taste."

Tamina lightly pushed back against Mairu's nudging while she took the salmon she had baked out of the oven and set it on the stove top. "It's hot." She said as she swatted Mairu's picking fingers away with an oven mit. "Go set the table." She ordered.

Mairu whined as if pained to wait. "Egor will do it."

"I'd be happy to." Egor said immediately standing from the couch.

Tamina cast a disapproving glance at the bubbly twin. "He's our guest, not our servant. Don't be rude."

"I'm more than happy to help." Egor said simply as he went about the task.

Mairu gestured triumphantly as if her point was proven. Tamina just sighed, adding more spices to a garlic and lemon juice concoction she'd thrown together in a bowl, then brushed it over the fish for flavor.

"What would I do without you Mina?" Mairu asked as she affectionately nuzzled into her from behind.

Tamina craned her neck to one side, but otherwise ignored the usual invasion of her space. "Who knows? You might learn to cook things like this yourself."

"Yeah, right. Like I'd even know what temperature to bake it or to put all those little leaves all over it."

Tamina breathed a laugh. "Parsley."

"Is that like bailey?"

"Uhm. You mean a bay leaf?"

"What did I say?"

"Bailey."

"Can we eat now?" Kururi asked impatiently. She had at some point finished her studying and joined them in the kitchen.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the front door when a soft knock came. Tamina internally cringed. "Also, we have a guest for dinner." She informed everyone.

 

It was as tense and awkward as Tamina expected. She tried to focus on the meal she'd been particularly craving but it served as little distraction. Mairu was staring daggers, all while shoveling food into her mouth like an animal. Kururi didn't look entirely pleased either, though the untrained eye might not recognize it on her neutral face. Egor ate quietly but he was clearly on edge as well. Likely from everyone elses body language. Tamina silently hoped this wasn't the night she'd witness his true strength.

"You know, Shizuo said if we can get you to go face first into a dump truck, he'll let us talk to Yuuhei." Mairu told her brother between heaping bites.

"How unimaginative." Izaya replied with an unfazed expression. "Makes your time frames rather limited too."

"I'm sure he's flexible on the type of truck so there's hope yet." Mairu retorted.

"And we could always bring the truck to you." Kururi added.

"Geez, what are you doing to my little sisters Miss Takeda?" Izaya asked playfully. "Under your supervision it seems like they're even nastier."

"They're my angels and they're perfect." Tamina said flatly without looking up, provoking wide triumphant smiles from the twins.

Egor began clearing the dishes away, casting Tamina a questioning glance as he did. She knew he'd get rid of Izaya in an instant if she asked, but unfortunately there was still important matters to discuss.

"Come on." She told Izaya impatiently and began to lead him to her bedroom. He was more than happy to shove away from the table and follow.

Mairu shouted after them. "If we catch you-"

"We're just talking!" Tamina cut her off.

 

"What happened?" Tamina finally asked as she shut her bedroom door behind him.

Her step father was still out there, and there had been a lapse in her resolve to gain closure. Izaya's visit couldn't mean anything good on this front. She anxiously waited for his answer.

"I've been keeping tabs on his computer. Seems like he's joined a community of like minded individuals, if you know what I mean. They share pictures between each other of the girls they stalk. And according to the pictures he's uploading, I think things may have progressed even further. They seem very...intimate." He explained.

A chill ran up Tamina's spine. What did this mean? Was he getting personal with these girls now? Forcing them to take pictures? Or worse... And sharing them?

"Can I take this to the police?" Tamina asked hopefully.

"No. He's careful. He uses an app to change the color schemes and distort the images somewhat. On top of that, the means for obtaining this information wasn't necessarily legal."

"Okay, well has this given us any new information that we can use?" She pressed.

"Nope."

"Then why are you telling me this?" She asked, clearly becoming frustrated. She felt as though he just did this to hurt her. What good was knowing these horrible things if she couldn't change them?

"To remind you that there is a world outside of your little fantasy." He said. "You seemed so eager to take this guy down until that beast somehow captured your attention. How are you going to feel when these girls end up in child porn? All because you got sucked into that cloud of stupidity that Shizu-chan resides in."

As she often did, Tamina wanted to bite back, but his words rang just enough truth. These were kids. And there was a monster out there ruining their lives. She suddenly felt selfish for allowing herself the happiness she had been enjoying. She had wanted stability and love in her life for so long. And now that she had it, it was as if it were a veil that had been pulled over her eyes. Did she do this on purpose or subconsciously?

"Any development with the Awakusu's? Maybe by now you could talk to them about this?" He went on, a surprising sincerity in his voice.

"I'll try." She said, trying to assure herself as much as him.

A long silence passed between them. After a while Tamina looked to him, curious by the unusual quiet. He had seated himself comfortably on her bed but he watched her with sharp eyes now. It made her a bit uneasy.

"What?" She finally asked when the look remained on his face.

"What happened to your arm?" His voice had an edge to it.

Damn him, he was like a super human. Even in the low light his keen eyes found the telling bruise on her forearm. She'd forgotten to change into a long sleeve shirt.

"Don't worry about it." She said, hoping he'd drop it.

It wasn't difficult to guess who was responsible for the distinct mark. That beast. That monster. The evidence he left on her body filled Izaya disgust. It was like vandalizing fine art. An unskilled finger painter destroying the priceless work of Van Gogh.

He was determined to ride this thing out. Every instinct he had told him it was better that way. Shizu-chan would slip up eventually, and when that happened, he would crush him. Until then he had to be patient. It was something he had ample practice doing. His pieces all remained in place. The game he played was one of give and take. The sparks he threw everywhere would cause a fire soon. But his favorite humans involvement was becoming more and more distracting.

He let out an uncharacteristically irate breath. "Why him?" He asked, giving into curiosity. "Out of everyone in this damn city. Anyone! You choose him. Why?"

Tamina often teased and poked fun at him for being jealous but she could see it so clearly in his face right now. For once, he didn't seem to be hiding it at all. His brow was tight and his face held that dark expression. It didn't even look like him...

"Is it really fair for you to ask me that?" She replied.

Her answer didn't seem to stir anything in him. He just watched for a while longer with the same bitter face. It annoyed her a bit. How did he have the nerve to feel slighted after all of this? He was such a damn brat.  
"We're serious so you need to just get used to it." She told him firmly.

He scoffed. "Serious." He repeated in a mocking tone. "What does that even mean?"

"He loves me."

Tamina thought the look that Izaya favored before was bitter. The new one he adopted put the last to shame. "He said that?" He asked in a hiss, as if it were the most offensive thing he'd ever heard.

It startled Tamina how he immediately stood off the bed and approached her. He closed the space between them quick, and she pressed back against her dresser in subconscious intimidation. He looked at her with a passion in his eyes. "Well I've got news for you. He doesn't. He may think he does, but that's because he's an idiot. He doesn't even know what real love is. The truth is he only wants half of you. The half that's pretty and smiles. Does he even know this side of you?" He asked as his hand came to her face. "What about all the things you hide from him? How much would he love those things? Does he love when you're crying or angry? Which one of your flaws is his favorite? When you hate yourself what does he love about you?"

She huffed in frustration, tugging her chin away from his touch. "I don't understand you when you talk like this."

"No you do. You understand a little too well. That's why you hate it." He said, watching her carefully.

It wasn't fair. The way he got under her skin. The way he made her question everything, no matter how sure she was. Why did he choose these moments to be so passionate? It almost made her feel like his feelings toward her could be something real. Not just one of his little games. She didn't dare look at him. This close, she knew she'd look over his handsome face too long. She'd re sketch it in her mind, and it took so much time to erase...

"This isn't the person I want to be."

"How realistic is that? To never be sad, or angry or vulnerable? Vengeful?! You're basically saying you don't want to be human." He replied.

Tamina let out an exhausted sigh. Everything with him was either a game or a battle. "I can't keep doing this with you, Izaya." She told him softly.

She couldn't keep hearing him out. She couldn't keep seeing him and sneaking around like this. Mostly she couldn't continue to try and see things his way. When she did, she'd slip into his chaotic world, and that place was so difficult to escape.

When the tension was the thickest, Izaya's phone began to ring. After a moment he reached into his pocket and checked it. Tamina watched curiously.

"Well!" He suddenly said, his goofy facade returning in a blink. "I hate cutting things short, but I do have a job of my own. And my reputation with my clients is very important to me."

It was kind of disturbing. How he could just change like a switch. It just made Tamina feel even more crazy. Even more unsure. Was this giant man child even real? How often did he say what he actually meant? She would never know.

"I'll be in touch tomorrow." Izaya told her, moving to her window.

"Cant you just take the stairs?" She asked with a bit of anxiety.

He climbed out onto the fire escape. "This is faster." He replied before finally answering his phone. "Good evening! So nice to hear from you again! I have that information you requested.." She heard him saying while she watched him easily, almost unnaturally, climbed down the intimidating height. One handed no less. She let out an exhausted huff and slammed the window shut.

 

Tamina tossed and turned most of the night. So many things buzzed around in her head. It was really maddening. She had to deal with her step father. Soon. And the Awakusu's might just help her with the trust she'd built by now... Then there was that moment with Izaya. His clear anger and passion. Why could he still provoke her, even after all this time? It was wrong. Wrong, wrong wrong.

She watched the hours tick by. Two AM came and went. Then three. At four she kicked the blankets off and grabbed her stuff. After the night she had and all the doubts that were creeping into her, there was only one place she wanted to be. And that place was a person. Warm, strong and safe. They were getting off work right about now...

 

Shizuo stifled a yawn as he fussed with his apartment key. The lock was tricky, more then likely due to the multiple slams the door had endured. His brow was just growing tight with irritation when it finally unlocked. It had been a long shift at work and he was ready for some sleep.

He kicked the door shut behind him and loosened his tie. Strangely though, it seemed as soon as the door was shut a soft knock came. He blinked, turning to reopen it.

"Hey!" He was enthusiastic to see Tamina waiting for him on the other side. "Is everything okay?" Though he was happy to see her, he had no idea what would bring her here at this time. She should be at home in bed herself!

"Yeah." She told him right away, forcing a warm smile. "I just missed you."

The brief worry he had melted away. "I missed you too..." He invited her inside, a good amount of his fatigue leaving him. Apparently he wouldn't be sleeping just yet...

If there was one thing Tamina loved, it was laying in bed until afternoon. And that's just what they had done. There had been some sleep. But only some...

And if there was something that she loved even more than that, it was a back massage. She let out a long content sigh as Shizuo's fingers kneaded into her back. As apprehensive as he was to touch her in the beginning, his hands moved over the slope of her lower back to her butt skillfully, much to her ever sated pleasure. A grin painted his face as he navigated her body with familiarity that was slow built but immensely satisfying. The sight of her bare skin against his sheets was painted vividly into his mind, to visit later whenever he liked. A truly peaceful thought for moments when he needed it most.

He leaned down and planted soft kisses down her spine. The sensation this gave her caused her head to roll and a low moan to resonate from her throat. He grinned against her skin, pleased with the reactions he could provoke. He grew more confident every time they were together and he so looked forward to what he'd do confidently next. He had a few ideas...

A buzzing sound.

Shizuo pulled away and made a displeased face while Tamina remained firmly planted in the bed, completely unaware. It was her phone again. This 'Nakura'. He could clearly see the missed calls displayed on her screen. They had called a lot yesterday too. It sounded masculine, but he couldn't be sure if they were a male of female. Why in the hell did they call her so much? And why had she never mentioned someone of that name? A familiar irritation began to creep through his skin. He suppressed it though. He fiercely bit back the urge to be annoyed and decided to simply ask.

"Who's Nakura?"

Tamina felt her body tense up. She couldn't help the sharp breath she drew in. She hadn't expected his sudden question and it literally knocked the wind out of her. It didn't go unnoticed either. Shizuo's hand stopped traveling down her back and it was clear her was even more interested in an answer now.

This would be the best time, she thought. She could confess all the things that had happened before they had gotten serious. Some of it wasn't pretty but the past was the past and Shizuo had proven to be a rational person by now. Hadn't he?

But what about the things she had yet to do? Her intentions. What about her continued business with Izaya? Sure, he could be rational. But he could also be...well, the exact opposite.

"He..." She started to say, but her words caught.

Why did the idea of telling him the truth scare her so much? Why did she suddenly remember how strong and violent he could be? That day in the city streets when he ripped out a light post and hurled it at Izaya like it was nothing... She had laid here in his bed, so content under his touch, his fingers and hands gentle and safe. What would happen if certain things came to light? Shizuo seemed to only see the good in her. What if the worst in her broke his heart? And what would a volatile man like him do with a broken heart? She didn't know how to explain the truth. So instead...

"He's just an old acquaintance. Not even a friend." She lied...

It seemed a sore subject, and Shizuo wasn't in the habit of pushing her, but lately he had a lot of questions. She was never keen on talking about her past in recent years or what had brought her to Ikebukuro. But he thought it might change as they got to know each other. There seemed to be a big blank spot in her life right before coming here, and he wondered if maybe she'd been in some kind of trouble with family or otherwise. She had mentioned briefly that she and her family weren't on good terms.

"He calls a lot." He felt compelled to comment. Certainly more than someone who 'wasn't a friend' should.

"It's nothing." Tamina finally regained a bit of composure, pushing off the bed to sit up. She could tell by his face that that answer didn't entirely satisfy him. Desperate for a change in subject she just smiled and leaned in with a nice deep kiss.

He felt like it was a distraction. And damned if it didn't work. He melted against her mouth, giving in to her every request as he always did. He didn't want to think of her taking advantage of that. It wasn't much justification for brushing it off, but he tried to, all the same.

She pulled away and planted another small, playful kiss on his nose. "I have to get ready." She told him. It was getting late and she had things to do for both jobs. She scooted to the edge of the bed and stood, having a good stretch before she made her way to his bathroom. Shizuo found himself distracted again, watching her nude form leave.

Tamina let out a relieved breath when she entered the bathroom. That was close.

Shizuo was about to get dressed himself when Tamina's phone caught his attention again. He glanced over as it vibrated and chirped, snorting irately. If this was that Nakura calling again...

When he looked at the screen he realized that it wasn't a phone call, but a text message.

The message only displayed for a moment while the screen was illuminated but what he thought he read was: "Stop fooling around with Shizu-chan and-" Then it went dark with idleness again.

A cold feeling ran through Shizuo's body. His fists involuntarily gripped and his breath caught in his chest. The name wasn't the same. In fact he'd never heard of a Nakura. But there was only one person in the world...-

"I'll try to call you between jobs if I can."

Tamina's voice surprised him. He'd been so consumed in thoughts he hadn't heard her exit the bathroom. He glanced back at her, meeting those big beautiful eyes he loved. But they didn't provide the comfort they usually did. Instead he felt pained, forcing himself to keep composure. His thoughts were so scattered. He didn't trust himself to speak.

She noticed, looking at him curiously. "Are you okay?"

He didn't want confrontation. And besides confrontation he had no idea how to handle a situation. He hadn't had much practice dealing with things rationally. But for her, as he always did, he tried. He pushed it all to the back of his mind and forced a weak smile onto his face. "Yeah."

She knew he wasn't being entirely honest. But she knew that she wasn't either. This was the first time she felt this kind of tension between them and it startled her. Caught between a rock and a hard place, she felt like there was nothing better to do than move on. She was going to be late.

"Okay, well, I'll talk to you later." She pressed in and stood on her toes to give him a kiss goodbye.

He leaned in without hesitation and kissed her, but it felt strange. It wasn't a quick peck of a goodbye and it wasn't as longing as an 'I'll miss you.' He kissed her deeply and slowly. It seemed like he needed it. Desperately. Like he was afraid of losing it. She happily complied, wrapping her arms around his neck and lulling her head to the side. It was much longer then their typical goodbyes...


End file.
